We’re pleased to be able to share the details of an upcoming exhibition from long-time Caught by the River contributor Justin Partyka. Without further ado, here’s the press release:
Justin Partyka, Walnut Tree Farm, 2006. © 2016 Justin Partyka and backroad books.
Justin Partyka, in association with the Aldeburgh Festival 2016, is pleased to present Not Exactly Nature Writing, on view at the Peter Pears Gallery, 152 High Street, Aldeburgh, IP15 5AQ, from 11-26 June 2016, open 10am-5pm daily.
Made over a period of eight years, this exhibition of twelve colour photographs reveals Partyka’s intimate experience discovering the local landscape of the popular nature writer Roger Deakin (1943-2006) who lived in Mellis, Suffolk for almost forty years.
The photographs begin at Deakin’s home Walnut Tree Farm, which Partyka visited shortly after the writer’s untimely death. They continue out into the surrounding landscape of Mellis common and along the ancient route of Cowpasture Lane. These locations feature extensively in Deakin’s three celebrated books: Waterlog (1999), Wildwood (2007), and Notes from Walnut Tree Farm (2008).
Partyka writes of these photographs, “Deakin wrote about Mellis. My way to come to know a place is by photographing it.” Not Exactly Nature Writing is a search to uncover what attracted Roger Deakin to this little patch of Suffolk.
Fine art prints in very limited editions of just five and three will be available to order during the exhibition. A panel discussion exploring ideas stimulated by the exhibition takes place at Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh, 11am, Tuesday 14 June 2016. Participants will be Matthew Collings, Amanda Hopkinson, Blake Morrison, and Justin Partyka.
The exhibition is curated by Hugh Pilkington and has been supported by Aldeburgh Music.
The exhibition also coincides with the release of Partyka’s new book of these photographs, Not Exactly Nature Writing, published by backroad books. It features thirty-eight photographs on Mohawk uncoated paper, with an essay by the artist. This is the first book in a new series of print-on-demand publications, which will make widely available Partyka’s numerous and largely unseen bodies of work made in rural East Anglia and beyond. A limited number of copies will be available to buy during the exhibition. The book will also be available to order via backroadbooks.com.
For press inquiries and images, please contact Justin Partyka via contact details at justinpartyka.com.