MAKE Southwest asked for submissions from emerging photographers who are working in any of a broad spectrum of photographic techniques: analogue or digital, cameraless, collage or film.
Imogen Bastone (Bristol); Nick Cooney (Cornwall); Miles Critchley-Hope, (Somerset); Olivia Eden (Cornwall); Louis Izard (Somerset); Jake Tebbutt (Cornwall); and Jake Varker (Cornwall) are the seven selected photographers in EMERGENCE. MAKE Southwest defined ‘emerging’ as being within three years of graduating or setting up as a photographer, whether full or part-time.
A panel of judges selected the seven photographers by taking into consideration the range of techniques, competence, individual voice and concept, and relevance to the seven exhibitors featured alongside them in Responding to Light, a major exhibition running alongside that studies the links between the photographic medium and craft. The judging panel comprised Jem Southam who has lived, worked and photographed in Devon for the past 30 years and is an Emeritus Professor of Photography at Plymouth University, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and Honorary Academician at Royal West of England Academy; Matthew Pontin who is Creative Director at Fotonow CIC - a creative social enterprise based in Plymouth that specialises in socially engaged photography; and Flora Pearson, Exhibitions Manager, MAKE Southwest.
As Matthew Pontin says of the photographers featured in Emergence,
"It's been inspiring to look through the submissions for Emergence and I was impressed by the diversity in approaches to using photography as a tool to communicate stories and share ideas. The Southwest has a rich art history and it's amazing to see that photographic practice is really significant here now, enabling graduates and self-taught photographers to develop a career here. It will be interesting to see how things develop for those selected to be part of this show. We expect great things!"