Gavin Parry
Head of Media
I have worked as a Photographer for 25 years, both as a freelancer and a ‘gallery orientated’ practitioner, exhibiting both nationally and internationally. Studied Fine Art painting in the early 80’s, but I was quickly seduced by both the mercurial nature of the photographic medium, and by the collaborative possibilities that it invites.
Practice evolves from a Photo Documentary tradition and the photographs relationship with the real. A photograph is no longer intellectually assumed to be a clear ‘window on the world’ nevertheless the photograph, arguably more than any other visual form, maintains an unique connection with its subject. My work both celebrates and exploits this relationship, the work becoming a liberal interpretation of Documentary Photography, yet maintaining a social and conceptual basis and relationship to the subject.
www.gavinparry.com
Projects
1 Anatomy Projects
Anatomy Projects a creative partnership with David Penny, undertaking photographic contemplations on issues around representation of the individual, the group, and the organization. Most of this work is produced using a wooden Victorian portrait camera, although this is not a romantic return to an analogue nirvana: The camera and its operational requirements, set up a framework and parameters within which the portraits can be made. Details…
2 Silent Dialogue
In May 2013 I spent 10 days meeting and photographing small traders, shopkeepers within this area of Ahmedabad . These photographs and interview transcripts are part of an on-going dialogue between myself (the photographer), and the traders of the Pol community. Details…
3 The Silence of the Photograph: Photographing Deafness
A project with University of Manchester Audiology Department and Anatomy Projects. The stillness of the photograph is an innate and ever present quality of the photographic image. Details…
4 Not another f**** story
A Publication, developing the themes and ideas from the 'Sex Death and Flatpackfurniture' exhibition: 5 Artists/ contributors, producing work in response to the title. Whilst the contributors will use the Narrative possibilities of the book form and photographic sequences as their starting point. Details…
5 Sick Buildings
A series of photographs of buildings / facades. The aim of series is to both document and 'rescue' the character; conveying something about the existence, function and histories written on to them. Details…
Research
Exhibitions
Parry, G., 2013. Anatomy of an Institution, Holden Gllery, January 2011.
Butler, J., 2013. Cotton Exchange: A Material Response, Old Rajhagar Mill, Ahmedabad, India, 17th -21st April 2013.
Parry, G., 2007. Sick Buildings, Fact Liverpool, 15 Dec 2006 May 2007.
Books
Parry, G., 2007. 'Not Just Another Story', Righton Press.
Journal Articles
Butler, J., Parry, G., 2011. 'Towards Ephemeral Narrative', Image [&] Narrative, :Http://www.imageandnarrative.be/index.php/i.
Presentations
Butler, J., Parry, G., 2014. 'An Artist’s Response to the Central Library: Documenting the Stacks', Reaching New Peaks: Onwards and Upwards, ARLIS(Arts Libraries Society) UK&Ireland, University of Manchester, 16th-18th July 2014.