Works from ‘North’ Series (SIXTEEN project)
Title: Maizi, 16, Runcorn, Cheshire, 2018
Year: 2018
Medium: Digital Photograph
Dimensions: h138 x w112cm
Title: Awais, 16, Nelson, Lancashire, 2018
Year: 2018
Medium: Digital Photograph
Dimensions: h138 x w112cm
Maizi and Awais are part of the wider project ‘SIXTEEN’ which explores the hopes, dreams, ambitions and fears of sixteen year olds from all walks of life all around the UK. As with much of Easton’s work it is rooted in social documentary and ties in with other projects looking at notions of meritocracy, social mobility and how we organise society.
SIXTEEN evolved into a group project and touring exhibition when Easton invited a number of leading contemporary photographers around the UK to contribute works from different regions. His own interests were in the Scottish Islands and in the post-industrial communities of the north of England, where this work was made.
The major touring exhibition launched at the New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery, University of Salford, in 2019 – before touring across the North West and to FORMAT19, Derby. Read more here.
Craig Easton Maizi, 16, Runcorn, Cheshire, 2018 © the artist
Craig Easton Awais, 16, Nelson, Lancashire 2018. © the artist
About the artist:
Craig Easton’s work is deeply rooted in the documentary tradition. He shoots long-term documentary projects exploring issues around social policy, identity and a sense of place. Known for his intimate portraits and expansive landscape, his work regularly combines these elements with reportage approaches to storytelling, often working collaboratively with others to incorporate words, pictures and audio in a research-based practice that weaves a narrative between contemporary experience and history.
A passionate believer in working collaboratively with others, Easton conceived and led the critically acclaimed SIXTEEN project with sixteen leading photographers exploring the hopes, ambitions and fears of sixteen-year-olds all around the UK. This Arts Council funded project was exhibited in over 20 exhibitions throughout 2019/2020 culminating in three simultaneous shows in London.
Easton is a regular visiting lecturer at universities and runs workshops both in the UK and internationally.
His prints are widely collected by private individuals & corporations and are held in important museum collections and archives including the FC Barcelona collection, the St. Andrews University Special Collections, Hull Maritime Museum and Salford University Art Collection.
In addition to his personal documentary and art projects, he continues to shoot for editorial & advertising clients worldwide. Advertising and commercial clients include: The National Health Service, Visit Britain, Land Rover, Heathrow Airport, Wagamama, Mazda, John Lewis etc.
In 2021, Easton was named photographer of the year at the Sony World Photography Organisation awards.
https://www.craigeaston.com/
All images & information courtesy the artist.