Holly Birtles reflects on her ongoing work inspired by the Thames River and Thames Estuary, where performers choreograph their roles as ‘Thames Monsters.’ During a dark room residency for the Chennai Photography biennale and Photoworks based in Chennai south India, she responds to the Adyar and Cooum rivers, drawing parallels of sentimentality, dedication, care, and destruction. The paradox lies in reverence for these sacred sources, contrasted with the toxicity and damage caused by anthropocentric activities.
The project Fighting Fish embodies monstrosity, intertwining beauty with the grotesque, haze, waste, life, and death. The concept of ‘fight’ is initially explored through constructed performances, directed body language and costume. The project symbolizes an ecological struggle, whilst it also reflects sentimental and emotional associations with place.
Birtles explores optical paradigms and artificial intelligence to bring these life forms into existence. She collaborates with the AI program Mid Journey through image inputs and digital editing, transforming digital simulations into experimental silver gelatin prints. The repetitive nature of Mid Journey is mirrored through darkroom manipulations, presenting multiple versions of the same image or ‘monster.’
https://photoworks.org.uk/holly-birtles-darkroom-residency/
Image: Holly Birtles- Fighting Fish
Date: Thursday 13/11/25
Time: 14.30-15.30
Format: In person
Where: ES Cinema – basement Room B09
Who can attend: Staff and Students all levels but courses of interest –Photography, Fine Art, Film
Who can attend: Staff and Students all levels but courses of interest –Photography, Fine Art
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