Fay Godwin: Copper beech, Stourhead Lake, Wiltshire, 1983. Copyright: The Fay Godwin Archive – The British Library
Under a turbulent sky, an exhibition of prints by the celebrated landscape photographer Fay Godwin, is open at Cornwall’s Kestle Barton until 28th October.
The gallery summarises:
This exhibition represents a selection from what photo-historian Ian Jeffrey has described as a unique photographic survey of the landscape of Britain, carried out by Fay Godwin for exhibitions and books between 1972 – 1994 and particularly celebrates her pioneering attention to environmental issues.
Today, as landscape continues to be a subject photographers turn to when contemplating the ways we relate to where we live and the impact humans have on the land, Fay Godwin’s work continues to influence.
In 2016, Peter Cattrell, landscape photographer, teacher and fine printer, who printed for Fay Godwin’s books and exhibitions throughout the 1980s, made eighteen new Fay Godwin prints from the original negatives held in The British Library archive. These were first shown in 2017 at MoMA Machynlleth, in mid-Wales, curated by Diane Bailey and Geoff Young.
The prints have been personally selected by people who knew or worked with and were influenced by Fay Godwin; by curators, collectors and historians of photography as well as by close friends and members of her family who were invited by Diane Bailey and Geoff Young to make their selection.
The Kestle Barton exhibition of Fay Godwin’s photography, Under a turbulent sky (9 Sep – 28 Oct) includes the eighteen analogue prints from the initial exhibition, along with another nine new digital prints; again from the original negatives held in The British Library archive and accompanied by an additional nine contributors’ captions.
Photograph by William Arnold: Clach an Truiseil (Trushal Stone), Lewis
Additionally, two Cornwall-based artists will also have work on show inspired and influenced by Fay Godwin. Friend of the River William Arnold’s photographic Sunspots series is displayed in the adjacent upstairs space, and Abigail Reynolds’ structures for sun and wind in the meadow and the garden.
Admission to Kestle Barton is free. Find more information, opening times and directions to the gallery here.