Artist in Residence Yan Wang Preston launches OFFSHOOT at RHS Garden Bridgewater.
Join us at RHS Garden Bridgewater to meet photographer Yan, hear about her residency to date – and find out how you can become a ‘Memory Keeper’ for our magnificent 300 year old tree!
Saturday 21 June – 10:30am to 1pm at RHS Garden Bridgewater Learning Studio £5 entry (refreshments included)
In the historical grounds of RHS Garden Bridgewater stands a magnificent sweet chestnut tree, estimated to be around 300 years old. What vibrant, turbulent and wonderful memories could this tree tell us about our history? What memories does it keep?
Yan Wang Preston, OFFSHOOT Artist in Residence at RHS Garden Bridgewater plans to create an artwork to honour the sweet chestnut’s life, and to retrace and explore its preserved memories – with your help.
On Saturday 21 June 2025 – the summer solstice – Yan will launch the project and host the first memory-collecting event at RHS Garden Bridgewater.
Yan will be in conversation with Josh Corbett, Bridgewater’s arboriculture team manager and self-proclaimed tree enthusiast. They will discuss their respective roles as artist and arborist and focus on how to look after woodlands for the future.
Yan will then present the star of the show, the sweet chestnut, before explaining her idea behind the Memory Keepers project. Anyone who wishes to take part will join a raffle, where each person will be randomly assigned a year between 1720 and 2020.
If you would like to join Yan’s project and become a ‘Memory Keeper’ you will be invited to write a short story (5-10 sentences) inspired by your given year. It does not need to be connected to the tree and can be about any historical event that happened that year, anywhere in the world.
For inspiration you will go home with a beautifully designed folder containing a blank sheet alongside Yan’s photos of the tree and 19th century images too. You can then submit your short story in a stamped addressed envelope addressed to Salford Museum and Art Gallery.
We will gather stories over the next six months, and our Memory Keepers’ stories will eventually form a collaborative artwork celebrating the enduring presence of our sweet chestnut tree.
This will be exhibited at Salford Museum and Art Gallery in 2026/7. Memory Keepers is both a talk and a participatory event. Submitting a story is entirely optional.
OFFSHOOT Artist in Residence programme is a collaboration between University of Salford Art Collection, RHS Garden Bridgewater and Open Eye Gallery Liverpool and is generously supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
Install shot from Between the Earth and the Sky Courtesy of Sam Parker
As a part of Between the Earth and the Sky our team assistant Sam Parker conducted a Q&A session with artist Alex Nelu to better understand his practice and thought process. As part of Arts Council England’s Developing Your Creative Practice grant, Nelu has continued to explore how to make a photographic practice more sustainable in multiple ways; like using photographing digitally rather than using harmful chemicals in a darkroom. Alongside this Nelu shares more information about his background and influences as an artist.
Starting off with a simple one; what equipment do you use? Be it cameras, scanners, other pieces of kit – what’s your go-to equipment bag got inside it?
“I prefer equipment that is lightweight and intuitive, something I can carry comfortably on long walks without it becoming a burden. Cameras are overloaded with menus and settings these days and I don’t enjoy wasting time when I’m out and about. Photography for me is about being present in the landscape, not buried in a screen.
For ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground’, I bought a second hand digital medium format camera which allowed me to capture the detail and depth I was after. The images were printed digitally on a bamboo-based paper, then presented in frames borrowed from the Art Collection, as part of ongoing efforts to test more sustainable approaches in my practice.
In the past I loved working using basic film cameras, either point-and-shoot or SLRs. I prefer to stay clear from any AI features and try to avoid getting lost in technical specs as that often feels very disconnected from the actual act of making images.”
Nelu’s camera in-situ. Courtesy of the artist
I know you’re accustomed to all sorts of processes and methods of producing imagery, so when it comes to Analogue or Digital media, which do you prefer?
“I love analogue photography and worked mostly on film for over a decade. But last year I challenged myself to try a digital workflow, purely because analogue seemed quite unsustainable, especially from my perspective as someone who was working mostly in colour. From the silver and gelatine in the film to the chemistry used in darkroom processing, there’s an obvious environmental impact there. That said, I’m also learning more about the hidden impact of digital, from the mining of rare metals for cameras to the energy-intensive nature of post-production workflows or cloud storage. Neither medium is better than the other in this regard as both come with their own issues, so I am keen to look into this more.
I do miss shooting film, and I’m not ready to part with it forever, that’s for sure. Many artists and creative researchers are actively working on ways to reduce the environmental impact of analogue practice, and I’m keen to see where that leads.”
Alex Nelu the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground (2024) Archival pigment prints on Hahnemühle Bamboo paper
You’re images are always really well put together visually and lead the viewer to think more about the content within the work. How do you approach composition and storytelling within your photographs?
“Stephen Shore suggested that composition is about rearranging the three-dimensional world so it becomes interesting in two dimensions, and I relate to that. Photographic composition can be like solving an equation with multiple variables, and the challenge is to find a balance in the frame; but unlike maths the answer can be very subjective.
When I started studying photography 16 years ago, we had a module on cinema that introduced me to great films. As a teenager, cinematography certainly had a massive impact on me. Films like Paris, Texas, Meek’s Cutoff, and Red Desert still draw me back just for their visuals. I think it’s very important to train your eye by engaging with strong visual references early on and to work on developing an instinct for what makes an image compelling.
As for storytelling in photography, it’s quite different from cinema. You don’t have the same means to guide a narrative, so you work with much less, but to me that’s the beauty of it. Photobooks and exhibitions can function a bit more like films as the artist imposes a sequence, but photography is more suggestive. I love that it leaves space for interpretation to the viewer. I hope my work might allow others to bring their own emotions or experiences into it.
What I’m showing in ‘Between the Earth and the Sky’ is very personal, and it was a bit of a struggle to build the confidence to present it in this shape. Stephanie Fletcher’s input, the curator of the show, made a great difference as they were very supportive from the beginning, and I’m delighted that it’s out there like this.”
As artists we know that unexpected things pop up during the creative process – are there any technical challenges that you frequently face? And how do you overcome them?
“Of course, don’t we all! I sometimes end up on obscure, niche photographic forums trying to solve a problem, but I’ve learned to embrace the challenges rather than search for answers. They can become part of the work itself, whether it’s issues with equipment or process. I rarely set off with a rigid plan or chasing a specific, expected result; that sounds pretty boring to me so I will leave plenty of room for accidents to shape the work.”
Following that then, how big of a role is experimentation in your practice?
Close-up of Alex Nelu’s ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground‘ (2024) Courtesy of Sam Parker
“I guess experimentation sometimes starts with the technical challenges I mentioned above. Often an unexpected accident can open a new path. I like making beautiful images but I’m not really interested in chasing perfection. I’d rather accept and respond to what happens along the way and I believe somehow this approach also ties into finding a more sustainable balance.
Instead of discarding or spending time forcing something, I am actively trying to work with what I have, adapting or rethinking methods, which might reduce waste or energy use. Whether it’s testing techniques or materials, reconsidering workflows, or even letting limitations guide choices, experimentation is fundamental in photographic practice.”
Through this continuous development that you infuse into your practice, how do you think your style has changed over time?
“This work I show in ‘Between the Earth and the Sky’ marks a bit of a jump both visually and thematically from what I’ve done before. Moving to a more rural setting four years ago has inevitably shaped my practice. I spent a lot of time mapping the area, researching its history, figuring out what resonated with me, and eventually learning to embrace its bleakness throughout the year. Alongside that, personal things that were happening my life last year inherently translated in the work, making it more introspective. Walking, observing, and photographing have become more than just a part of my creative process; it was clear that they were also go-to coping mechanisms, ways of working through difficult emotions. Without wanting to say much more, ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground’ is in many ways the product of all the above. The opportunity to exhibit came at the right moment, giving me a chance to pause, take a breath, reflect and reset.
Us photographers can be incredibly stubborn; we resist change, we like to hold on to what feels safe. Staying open to new ways of working and challenging ourselves is essential. I’ve been fortunate to have people around me who taught me to accept that, I very much welcome it nowadays.”
Walking route in which Nelu took some of the images seen in ‘Between the Earth and the Sky‘ Courtesy of the artist.
As artists we’re always trying to improve our practices and how we do things – do you ever seek feedback on your work? And if so, how do you incorporate this feedback going forward?
“Even though I graduated 13 years ago, I still find showing my work in progress daunting. I’ve always been a quiet, shy person, which is why I picked up photography in the first place. It gave me a way to express things without having to explain them. That fear of not being able to articulate what I’m up to is still there and perhaps will always be, but I know how important it is to seek and accept feedback. You can probably work in isolation and make brilliant art, but I feel that sharing it with peers you trust will most likely at least help you get there faster, if not elevate it.
At the moment, I’m working with a few people as part of an Arts Council England Develop Your Creative Practice grant, so I’m slowly getting more comfortable with sharing work in progress and taking feedback on board. But even now, I still get a lump in my throat when it comes to it. That said, it’s been incredibly useful, and I am embracing it more. It’s quite funny because I am never one to shy away from giving feedback when asked.”
Many struggle with getting into the flow of making work as well as talking to others about it – do you have any tips or routines to get into a creative mindset?
A still from a brief video on one of Nelu’s walks.
Courtesy the artist.
“For me, it usually involves walking, browsing photobooks, even looking at old maps. These are the main things that allow my mind to wander. I also find that watching artist talks can be really inspiring. Even better when things don’t happen on a screen.
I also make notes whenever an idea comes up, and I often revisit them, writing them down properly to see if they’re worth pursuing. In my experience, even the smallest snippet can grow into something.
Ultimately, I’d say the key is to find a productive space or workflow where you can focus on your ideas and see what works for you.”
Speaking on creative process – which part of your creative process is your favourite?
“I enjoy being out, that’s the best part for me, and I feel lucky that’s one of the main components of my creative process. For me and many others, photography is about being outside, walking, observing, and responding to a place even in questionable weather.
My least favourite is being in front of a computer but that’s still necessary unfortunately, even though I am seeking new ways to streamline and shorten that, both for my own sanity and to use less energy.”
Your Practice
Close-up shot of Alex Nelu’s ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground‘ (2024) Courtesy of Sam Parker.
We’ve mentioned sustainability a few times already, but how big of a role is sustainability in your practice? And how have you implemented it?
“I’ll admit, I didn’t think much about sustainability until a few years ago when Lizzie King and Gwen Riley Jones ran an amazing programme of workshops and talks at Salford called ‘Sustaining Photography’, supported by the Art Collection and the Sustainability Team. I was already mindful of some things such as trying to produce less waste or buying second-hand equipment, but it made me realise the broader environmental impact of photography. It was a good wake up call.
Right now, I’m testing new approaches as part of a year-long grant on developing a more sustainable photographic practice. I have a sustainability statement on my website outlining the steps I’m currently taking, which I update as I learn more. I believe in being transparent about any positive changes I make, so others can apply or challenge them. Small adjustments across a wider community can add up to a significant positive impact, especially nowadays when we became so desensitized to snapping images on our phones without giving too much consideration to what happens to them afterwards.
Hopefully, I’ll find a carbon-neutral way to publish and distribute my findings next year, but for now, I’m happy to learn more and open conversations, especially in my front facing role at Salford as a Creative Technical Demonstrator. Even if the students might find it annoying sometimes, hopefully, it plants a seed.
Alongside Lizzie King and other academics, I am one of the founding members of the Sustainable Arts Practice Research Group (SAP) in SAMCT, so I actively contribute to interdisciplinary discussions and initiatives aimed at integrating eco-friendly practices within art and design curriculum. Our focus is on reducing environmental impact, promoting sustainability in artistic production, and fostering a culture of ecological responsibility within the academic and creative community.”
Working in this more sustainability focused way, have there been any big shocks in the way you’ve had to change your methods and processes?
“Well, stopping film photography for a bit was painful. At first, I overcompensated by taking too many pictures, something us photographers are guilty of, chasing that fear of missing out. But I started to feel guilty very quickly and finding that balance was so important.
I also had to change the software I was very familiar with, to move away from saving unnecessary duplicates of the same image. Old habits die hard, so it’s been a challenge, but I feel like I’m getting there. Making sustainable choices isn’t always easy, but simple things will make a difference.”
Image from Alex Nelu’s previous commercial photography career. Răzvan Mazilu – Theatre Director/Choreographer/Performer Client – C4US Magazine Courtesy of the artist.
Aside from sustainability, do you think your personal identity or background influences your work? If so, how?
“Everything I put out there is shaped by who I am, where I come from, and where I find myself now. Even though I’m now British, I still feel more Romanian as I lived there far longer than I’ve lived here. That immigrant identity remains a big part of me. It’s probably why nostalgia runs through my work. Perhaps photography for me is a way of processing that sort of emotion, the longing for a place, time or feeling. I often find myself looking for traces of familiarity in an unfamiliar landscape and it’s something I’m drawn to involuntarily. In that way, I think my identity is always present in my work, even if it’s not too explicit.
In my previous life as I often call the time before moving to the UK, I worked as a freelance photographer and a studio assistant, both fast-paced roles that equipped me with some resilience and gave me a strong technical foundation. Commercial work wasn’t always enjoyable, especially with the pressure you feel when you’re doing it in your early twenties. But looking back I’m very grateful for the experience and it equipped me with incredible skills that continue to inform my practice today, that’s for sure.”
Are there any other artists, practitioners, or themes that inspire and influence your practice?
“I was taught by Nicu Ilfoveanu during my BA, whose work is very influential to many Romanian landscape photographers, myself included. When I first moved to the UK, I was fortunate to meet Lizzie King and Craig Tattersall, both incredibly creative and prolific artists.
Since my work is rooted in exploring landscape, its historical context, and how we perceive it, Patrick Keiller has been a significant influence. His Robinson films and The View from the Train, which I read just before the pandemic, influenced my perspective on the intersections of geography, history and narrative.
I find that the outdoor environment itself can help map an emotional landscape. The West Pennine Moors have amazing colours in every season, and even at their bleakest moments, I find it hard not to enjoy being there. The themes I’ve been approaching for this are very personal: dealing with solitude, displacement and adapting to an unfamiliar place, but in a way the work is perhaps about embracing these emotions. By visiting spaces that hold past histories of their own such as disused quarries, reservoirs or the path that was once a Roman road, I contemplate and confront my own journey of relocation and adaptation. There’s just something about walking up there and facing the darkness head-on, like a ritual that becomes part of the work itself.”
How do you start a new project? Is there an extensive plan or do you just begin and roll with what comes?
Close-up shot of Alex Nelu’s ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground’ (2024) Courtesy of Sam Parker.
“I wouldn’t say I start with an extensive plan. If anything, the structure usually takes shape after I’ve already started. My projects usually evolve from something I’m already doing, whether that’s walking, researching, or just following a feeling that something is worth exploring further. If ideas linger in my mind, I try to pursue them and see where that takes me.
This project grew out of the time I spent on the moors after moving here in 2021. It was still very much a pandemic, and I think we all became more aware of how much we rely on being outside when we had to stay in. For me personally, that shift was quite significant, not just in terms of appreciating the landscape but in understanding how being out there affected me emotionally. I started observing, mapping and photographing, and that slowly morphed into a project rather than something I deliberately set out to make.”
Are there any dream projects or collaborations you’d love to pursue in future?
“I’d love to work with other people who have a deep connection to landscape, whether that’s artists, writers, researchers or the local community. I’m particularly interested in long-term projects that allow for a slow, considered engagement with a place-based subject and multiple angles and contributions would only enrich the work. I think I would also enjoy being an artist in residence somewhere with a layered history, I love sites that invites exploration and reinterpretation, whether natural or man-made. Hopefully, I can also find sustainable ways to engage with the communities that inhabit it and make a positive contribution.”
Thinking about the future – how do you see your work evolving in the next few years?
“While my work is deeply personal, I’m interested in expanding my engagement with others through collaborations, residencies, or conversations that bring new perspectives into my process. I can also see my practice becoming more research-driven, perhaps incorporating more data, either historical or scientific while still being quite personal. I imagine my work will continue to explore similar themes, but I hope to find ways to refine my approach, both in terms of sustainability and how I communicate these ideas visually.”
Close-up shot of Alex Nelu’s ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground‘ (2024) Courtesy of Sam Parker.
Plenty of students and other early career artists all want to know how artists they look up to would advise on beginning a career – so, what advice would you give to someone starting out in your field?
“Keep taking pictures every day, it’s the best way to improve. Go see art and artist talks as often as you can. Watch good films. If you’re a student, spend time in the library’s photobook section; if not, visit a bookshop or the local library. Don’t get caught up chasing the best equipment, you don’t need it. Find something that works for you and focus on making work, not collecting gear. It can be a difficult, competitive field so please remember to pause sometimes, take a breath, and remind yourself why you’re doing it. Your work should make you happy and bring you fulfilment, don’t try to please others and don’t let them dictate what your photography should look like or be about. And please try to be mindful about the environmental impact of your work and see if there’s any changes you can make as there might be plenty of actions you can take without compromising your artistic vision or process.”
And finally, the big one – do you think art, and by extension photography, has a specific role in shaping society?
“100%. Photography is such a powerful medium and I believe that studying photography is important, not just for the technical skills but as a way to understand its historical and political impact. While photojournalism can be the most obvious example, documentary and conceptual photography have also been instrumental in questioning structures of power and shifting cultural perspectives. Socially engaged photography is another crucial area where the medium can have a direct impact on communities. Projects that involve collaboration with participants rather than just documentation can empower individuals and challenge narratives.”
Installation shot of Alex Nelu’s ‘the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground‘ (2024) Courtesy of Sam Parker
Alex Nelu the wind was blowing as I was walking on marshy ground (2024) Archival pigment prints on Hahnemühle Bamboo paper
Nelu is a Romanian photographic artist based in Lancashire, a Creative Technical Demonstrator at the University of Salford and a graduate in MA Contemporary Fine Art (2017). His practice lies at the intersection of documentary and fiction, using walking and image-making to map both physical and emotional landscapes.
These works are rooted in Nelu’s experience as an immigrant navigating the bleak and often isolating landscapes of the West Pennine Moors. Drawn to ancient infrastructure such as Roman roads or footpaths, as well as Victorian relics that have since blended into the natural environment (mine shafts, quarries, spoil heaps) he photographs the land in an idyllic, painterly style as a metaphor for his own sense of dislocation and projected resilience.
Central to this project is an ongoing exploration of sustainable photographic practices, carefully considering planning, image-making, post-production, and presentation, grounded in a commitment to photographing locally and leaving no trace, as part of an Arts Council England Developing Your Creative Practice grant.
The images above are close-up stills of Nelu’s work.
The image above is an install shot from the exhibition.
The University of Salford Art Collection (UOSAC) works on a range of events and exhibitions, often in collaboration with artists and other organisations. Our programme regularly covers themes of environment, nature, sustainability and climate change, creating spaces where people can come together, connect with ideas and research around our natural world, and explore some of the most urgent issues of our time.
We are committed to putting sustainability into practice, remaining accountable and informed, and encouraging our collaborators to do the same. This includes making responsible choices in our personal lives. We recognise that individual and organisational commitments should be appropriate, scalable and achievable within time and resources; and should not impact accessibility, safe working, or archival standards of care and preservation.
Next month, Hybrid Futures: Making, Showing and Collecting Art in a Time of Climate Crisis, will be hosted in Salford. This symposium will see a day of activity and conversation around the ambitious three-year hybrid Futures project.
What are the environmental issues currently facing museum collections, art galleries and artists?
Is it possible to make your work more sustainable in the visual arts sector?
How can arts organisations and their local communities work together to influence change?
Is there the potential to test ideas and new ways of working in order to create a robust and effective model to change the way that galleries should operate in the future?
Installation View: Hybrid Futures at Salford Museum & Art Gallery, 2024. Photography by Jules Lister.
Join us and our Hybrid Futures partners, along with the Hybrid Futures artists (Shezad Dawood, Jessica El Mal, Parham Ghalamdar & RA Walden), commissioners, local authority staff, funders, community members and consultants, for a day of conversation and activity; sharing our learning and exploring together actions our sector can take to create enduring and effective models of sustainable practice for galleries and museums.
You will leave having met like-minded colleagues and equipped with practical knowledge and encouragement to make changes and take action.
We’re delighted to share with you some of the names who will be a part of the day’s programming on the 10th of May.
Speakers and convenors:
Kit Abramson, Collective Futures, Creative Producer; Paulette Brien, Grundy Art Gallery; Rachael Burns, Touchstones Rochdale; Danny Chivers, Hybrid Futures Sustainability Advisor (Gallery Climate Coalition); Helen Cooper, Senior Manager, Philanthropy/Visual Arts, Arts Council England; Claire Corrin, Salford Museum and Art Gallery; Shezad Dawood, Hybrid Futures lead artist; Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor; Mark Doyle, Touchstones Rochdale; Jessica El Mal, Hybrid Futures artist; Parham Ghalamdar, Hybrid Futures artist; Mishka Henner, Artist in Residence at Energy House 2.0, University of Salford; Matthew Pendergast, Castlefield Gallery; Rowan Pritchard, Exhibition Coordinator, University of Salford Art Collection; Emily Speed, Artist in Residence at Energy House 2.0, University of Salford; Lindsay Taylor, University of Salford Art Collection; RA Walden, Hybrid Futures artist (via video link), Kate Wafer, Hybrid Futures Evaluation Consultant; Helen Wewiora, Castlefield Gallery.
There is also a Marketplace where you can meet relevant organisations to get the latest information and guidance. Participants confirmed include Museums Development North, The Carbon Literacy Project, LANDS (Lancashire Arts Network for Developing Sustainability), GMAST (Greater Manchester Arts Sustainability Team), University of Salford Sustainability Team, and SPARK.
Want to know more about Hybrid Futures so far? Visit the Hybrid Futures website for more information on the Symposium, the Hybrid Futures partners, artists and exhibitions, case studies & resources. You can also now read all the reflections from the Collective Futures community engagement project.
Following on from 2021-22 where the Art Collection took home a platinum Green Impact award after participating for the first time in the University-wide Green Impact Scheme, this year for 2022-23 we are delighted to share that we have once again achieved a platinum Green Impact award for our ongoing sustainability efforts.
Green Impact is a United Nations award-winning sustainability engagement programme, run internationally by SOS-UK. Throughout the year, organisations across the globe work on sustainable actions in the Green Impact toolkit, each worth either 5, 10 or 15 points.
By completing actions worth over 500 points throughout the year, the Art Collection team has achieved a second Platinum award. Actions undertaken this year have included completing an energy audit with Marta Strzelecka, University Sustainability Engagement Officer and continuing to reduce single-use plastic and make sustainable swaps where possible across our work; swapping out bubblewrap for re-usable silver stiffy bags as recommended by the Gallery Climate Coalition, and continuing to use ecoboard over foamex and vinyl in our exhibition signage and materials.
Team Assistant Sam Parker at the 2023 Green Impact Awards. Courtesy the Enviromental Sustainability Team.
Resuable Silver Bags being used to store artwork rather than single use plastic.
In addition to day-to-day actions, our Green Impact submission this year also included our wider thematic work around sustainability, including the ongoing Energy House artist residencies and the Hybrid Futures programme.
For our Hybrid Futures‘ work, particularly around the Collective Futurescollaborative engagement programme, we were awarded the special Community Action Award. Collective Futures brings together individuals, invited by the Hybrid Futures‘ partners for their perspective on the climate crisis. Connecting around Hybrid Futures’ ongoing activity, the collective is collaborating to explore new ideas, possible solutions, and examples of creative work that has made an impact in local and global communities. With each member able to both bring their interests, experiences, and insights and share the group’s work back out to their communities, the collective is already proving a fruitful site of collaboration and sharing.
Additionally, Lizzie King was awarded the Student Leadership Award for her work on Sustaining Photography. MA Contemporary Fine Art student Lizzie has co-developed Sustaining Photography with socially-engaged photographer Gwen Riley Jones as an exhibition and programme of engagement for fellow students and the public, showcasing and promoting plant-based alternatives to traditional toxic photographic methods. If you would like to find out more about Lizzie’s work on Sustaining Photography, click here.
Lizzie King accepting her Student Leadership Award. Courtsey the Enviromental Sustainability Team.
Art Collection Team Sustainability Champion, Rowan Pritchard shares: “Once again we are so pleased to be recognised for our ongoing sustainability work. From day-to-day activity to our overarching thematic focuses, working sustainability has come to underpin everything we try to do at the University of Salford Art Collection. It has been great to take part once again in Green Impact, and to see and celebrate all of the brilliant sustainability work happening across campus.”
Find out about all of the teams who participated in Green Impact across the University PLUS read more about the Green Impact programme on the University’s sustainability blog, here.
Throughout November, artist Lizzie King and Socially Engaged Photographer Gwen Riley Jones have been sharing recipes and reflections from their project Sustaining Photography.
Sustaining Photography is a project led by Lizzie and Gwen, exploring and promoting plant-based and sustainable alternatives to traditional photographic processes.
You can read all four blogs, including recipes for anthotypes and 35mm film developer from Gwen and Lizzie and find out more about the project here: Sustaining Photography
In 2019, The British Youth Council declared the climate emergency the “biggest issue facing young people”. This headline is taken from the Planting for the Planet exhibition, held at RHS Garden Bridgewater in 2022. In this exhibition, I worked with young people from Action for Conservation to explore nature-based solutions to climate change. Through the process of collaborating with, and learning from, a group of young people to make images for the exhibition, my creative practice changed forever.
We were making work about nature-based solutions to climate change, so I wondered, are there any plant-based photographic techniques? Turns out there’s loads.
As soon as I started to learn about it – it made total sense – plants create energy using light – they are light sensitive, they contain pigments that adapt and change with changes in light intensity. My mind was blown, I was hooked.
But what hooked me in deeper was that I could suddenly create photographs in my kitchen at home. The process is safe and non-toxic, even edible, and I could create anthotype paper at home in my kitchen whilst I made my daughter’s breakfast. I’ve been a photographer for 20 years but setting up a home darkroom has always felt like too big a task – for many reasons, not least, toxic waste.
A participant exploring sustainable photographic methods as part of Gwen’s workshops during Rediscovering Salford.
Perfection in the imperfection.
It is a parody of the industrial world that in searching for photographic perfection, faster shutter speeds, sharper images – steps towards the sublime – we have created a toxic world. Maybe the perfection is actually found in the imperfections, in these green pictures which will fade to nothing when left out in the sun.
And from here, well it makes you wonder, if we don’t need to use these harmful substances, why do we?
So I now work with sustainable photographic processes almost as a metaphor for sustainable practices, sustainable lives. As a way of starting a conversation – if we can do this using only plants – what else can we do using only plants?
I grew some beetroot, made anthotypes out of the juice, film developer out of the peelings, and pickled the beets to eat for lunch. You don’t need much money and you certainly don’t need perfection. The beauty of this process is in the imperfection, and the accessibility of the practice.
So we invite you to join us: pick some spinach from the community growing space (but also make sure you join in and plant some more!) make some anthotypes, cook a curry, use the vegetable peelings to develop your film, ask some new questions.
Share the spoils of your practice with those around you. Put up a picture, pass on a plate of food, share your experience. And let us know what else you decide to do differently.
Sustaining Photography is a collaborative project by Lizzie King & Gwen Riley Jones to connect and engage students at the University of Salford with sustainable photographic processes, using produce from the University’s Community Growing Space. The project is based at The University of Salford and has been funded by the Salford Advantage Fund and The University of Salford Art Collection.
Over the course of the year, current MA student and past Graduate Scholarship recipient Lizzie King, and socially-engaged photographer Gwen Riley Jones have been working together on Sustaining Photography.
Sustaining Photography is a collaborative project to connect and engage students at the University with sustainable photographic processes. Lizzie and Gwen have been working together throughout the year to grow produce in the Community Growing Space and explore how these can be used to create plant-based alternatives to traditional photographic methods, which use harmful chemicals.
Now Open!
An exhibition showcasing the collaborative artwork Lizzie and Gwen have created during the project so far is now on display in the University’s Community Growing Space. Alongside the artwork, you can see the produce being grown, and find recipes they have developed for the plant-based photographic methods they have used to make the work.
Feeling Inspired? You can now get involved in a series of events being held as part of the wider Sustaining Photography exhibition. The events programme includes artist talks from Edd Carr and Tamsin Green, photography workshops, and portfolio reviews for current students. You can find the full details of each event here.
The Sustaining Photography project is based at The University of Salford and has been funded by the Salford Advantage Fund and The University of Salford Art Collection.
June 2023 Marta Strzelecka, University Sustainability Engagement Officer
The University of Salford Art Collection Team has been awarded two Green Impact National Awards: Innovation for Engagement and Sustainability Hero, for their continuing commitment to sustainability action and engagement.
Every year, Green Impact Special Awards are given out across institutions to people and teams who go above and beyond for sustainability. These Special Award winners are then put forward for consideration for the Green Impact National Awards. This year, the Art Collection Team received two national awards!
The first one – Innovation for Engagement – recognises ways in which Green Impact teams have engaged more people in sustainability activities, supporting staff and students to learn about and lead on sustainability. This award spotlights creative innovation in the engagement: the more people we can actively engage, the bigger the positive impact we can make.
The Art Collection Team, led by Team Assistant Rowan Pritchard, won thanks to the largest outreach and impact, international engagement and multiple stakeholders in their programmes and projects. At the end of last year, the Team also won a Platinum Green Impact award for their sustainability efforts within their department, including implementing an office switch-off campaign to save energy, ensuring the use of reusable items such as bags and packaging, and introducing plants to green up the office.
Young people from Action for Conservation spending time with older people from Pride in Ageing at the Pocket Park they created working with Gwen Riley Jones & RHS Bridgewater.
A participant exploring sustainable photographic methods as part of Gwen’s workshops during Rediscovering Salford.
Rowan recieving the platinum award on behalf of the team at the University Green Impact awards.
There’s a clear commitment to sustainability in the Team’s programme and way of working. The main sustainability actions taken by the Team to win the awards include:
The Are You Living Comfortably? photography project, showcasing work from artists McCoy Wynne, created through a pilot artists residency the Team hosted with the University’s Energy House facility and in partnership with Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool. The artwork, created in response to themes of climate change, energy efficiency and retrofitting, has been on display in both Liverpool and Salford during 2022, alongside displays of research materials, videos, and a series of online events and more to engage audiences of thousands. The work was also selected to feature online in the COP26 showcase, and has since gone on loan to Bury Art Museum.
The You Belong Here: Rediscovering Salford’s Green Spaces exhibition, displayed at Salford Museum & Art Gallery, was launched as part of the city-wide Rediscovering Salford programme, encouraging audiences of over 16,000 to reconsider and reconnect with the green spaces around them through exciting newly commissioned artworks in response to Salford’s parks and green spaces. Alongside the exhibition, the Team ran a programme of engagement including tours, talks, and workshops to encourage participants to engage with their own local environments and reconnect with the nature around them. The exhibition was led on behalf of the Salford Culture and Place Partnership, and the wider project was generously supported by Arts Council England and Suprema Lex.
The Peer to Peer: UK/HK 2022 project, led by the Team in collaboration with Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, supported 9 UK visual arts organisations and 9 Hong Kong visual arts organisations, along with more than 43 artists, and over 160 students to connect, create work, and develop enduring partnerships internationally while rethinking the ways of working remotely to mitigate the environmental impacts of long-haul air travel. This resulted in an online festival, promoting these ways of working through talks and the artwork created during the project to encourage others to consider new ways of connecting with others while minimising their carbon footprint.
McCoy Wynne, Are You Living Comfortably? 2021. Image courtesy of the Artist.
In response to winning the award, Rowan said:
Taking part in Green Impact has been a challenging and inspiring process. When we began on our Green Impact journey, I don’t think any of us expected that we would win a national award. It has been a huge honour to be recognised in this way and serves as a reminder of how impactful working sustainably can be.
As a part of our University and local community and as a resource people look to, it is important to us at the Collection that we not only encourage others to work in sustainable ways, but that we lead by example, and show how even the smallest acts contribute to wider change.
We are now more motivated than ever to continue our sustainability journey. Through projects like Hybrid Futures, we’re already thinking about how our sustainability work can be more wide-reaching, working in partnership with other arts organisations and artists, as well as a cohort of community leaders who we hope will be able to spread the learning and tools needed for working more sustainably even further than before.
The second award – Sustainability Hero – recognises a person with extraordinary commitment to sustainability within a Green Impact team, as nominated by their colleagues.
Gwen Riley Jones, the Socially Engaged Photographer-in-Residence with the Art Collection Team in 2021/22, won for going far beyond the actions outlined in the Green Impact toolkit. Her work in collaboration with youth groups explored non-toxic, plant-based methods of photography and printing. The judges described her process to achieve maximum engagement through their work as “impeccable”. The group’s work has been viewed by over 50,000 people through a display with partner organisation RHS Garden Bridgewater, and it is artistically promoting awareness of plant-based techniques. The judges loved the creative heritage links, too.
Gwen Riley Jones with her Sustainability Hero award.
In the nomination, Gwen’s colleagues wrote:
Gwen Riley Jones is our team’s Sustainability Hero. Over the last 12 months she has worked with over 100 people at different creative workshops, exploring plant-based methods of photography and printing. This has included making her own spinach anthotypes, a plant-based method of printing using no chemicals. Her work with anthotypes and the Action for Conservation youth group led to an exhibition of the plant-based work at the RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford. Over 50k people visited this exhibition, raising significant awareness of plant-based methods of creating and hopefully inspiring others to explore sustainable ways of working.
At each step of the way she has considered sustainability, ordering reusable film cameras rather than disposable ones, printing all the exhibition materials on compostable boards, and ordering entirely vegan food for her week of activity with Action for Conservation.
Demonstrating incredible commitment to sustainability within her work, Gwen has continued to explore even further how she can reduce the number of unsustainable chemicals she works with, now exploring ways of creating photographic developers using composting vegetables. Gwen’s work over the last 12 months has really inspired us to take initiative as a team and really push the ways we can be more sustainable in our everyday practices.
In response to winning the award, Gwen said:
Issues around climate change and sustainability can feel overwhelming, but I have found that by collaborating with people and working together it feels more achievable. Each action, each thought, helps us to ask more questions and think about how we can change our practices – step by step – to create a bigger impact.
When we started this journey, I had no idea of the places it would go, I certainly didn’t expect to be winning any awards for it. It has been my privilege to collaborate with young people on these projects as, in my experience, they immediately have answers and I have learnt so much from working together.
This work will have no end and will continue to develop alongside the creativity. I have a huge thanks to give to the whole Art Collection Team for their commitment to sustainability and for their encouragement. Also, a huge thank you to the ever-expanding networks of people who are willing to share ideas and try new things to try to live, study and work more sustainably.
Gwen has since gone on to collaborate with MA Fine Art student Lizzie King and the University’s Sustainability Team, to produce a further series of events and displays on campus entitled ‘Sustaining Photography’ taking place in Summer/Autumn 2023, supported by the Advantage Fund.
The Team are grateful to Marta Strzelecka, University Sustainability Engagement Officer, for her support during the Green Impact project – and encourage any other departments thinking of joining to give it a go!
The national judging panel was made up of Vibhati Bhatia (Founder of South Asians for Sustainability), Charlotte Bonner (CEO of EAUC), Grace Corn (Senior Engagement Officer: Climate Emergency for Westminster City Council) and Rebecca Turner (Careers Pathway Manager at IEMA).
About Green Impact
Green Impact is a sustainability engagement programme, run internationally by SOS-UK. It’s a simple, fun and flexible way for departments to improve their environmental performance and champion sustainability at the University, whilst receiving recognition for their efforts and impact.
Colleagues form teams across the University and work through an online toolkit of actions together. A team can be any size and cover an office, building, department, or even a whole School or Division. Each action on the toolkit is allocated either 5, 10 or 15 points, and the team decides which actions to complete; the total number of points a team achieves will determine whether they receive a ‘working towards Bronze’ accreditation or a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum award.
Green Impact programme is open to all University of Salford staff members.
