Solo exhibition at Format International Photography Festival
Read MoreLishui Photography Festival, China. Exhibition and Award /
‘{Re}Source’ Exhibition and Award
FORMAT International Photography Festival is thrilled to announce that Alicia Bruce has been awarded the prize of ‘Expert recommended photographer’ at Lishui Photography Festival. Alicia – a long-standing friend and contributor to FORMAT – was featured in the exhibition ‘[Re]Source’, curated by FORMAT Curator & Coordinator Niamh Treacy that took place in Lishui, China from November to December 2023.
Alicia’s project featured in [Re]Source, ‘I Burn But I Am Not Consumed’ (Daylight Books, USA, 2023) documents sixteen years of Donald Trump’s impact on a coastal Scottish community near where the artist grew up. You can purchase a copy of Alicia’s superb book here: https://aliciabruce.co.uk/book/iburn (please see Alicia’s website for more information)
[Re]Source also featured artists AJR Moxon (UK), Md Fazla Rabbi Fatiq (Bangladesh), Wei Weng (China/Australia), Mary Farmilant (US), Alessandro Mallamaci (Italy), and Yzza Slaoui (Morrocco) and was inspired by the core themes of Lishui International Photo Festival 2023. [Re]Source explored the ways in which we are connected to and affected by our most vital resource – the natural land around us.
With thanks to FORMAT’s friends at Lishui Photography Festival.
Images courtesy of Michael Pritchard
Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago. Exhibition and Aquisition /
Menie residents Mike & Sheila Forbes are celebrated in an exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP) Chicago this year. LOVE: Still Not the Lesser, Aug 17–Dec 22, 2023,
MoCP is across the road from Art Institute Chicago which holds Grant Wood’s iconic ‘American Gothic’ and a street away from Trump Tower Chicago so having Mike and Sheila exhibited in between these is poigniant, especially now as their portrait enters the permanent collection of MoCP.
About the Exhibition (Text from MoCP)
“I use the word ‘love’ here not merely in the personal sense but as a state of being, or a state of grace…”
—James Baldwin, excerpt from The Fire Next Time, 1963
“Has everyone been in love? Not on the basis of the evidence. If they have, they’ve forgotten it.
If everyone had been in love, they’d treat their children differently. They’d treat each other differently.”
—James Baldwin, from “Meeting the Man: James Baldwin in Paris,” 1970
LOVE: Still Not the Lesser brings together twelve international artists, uniting across communities to share the ways they encounter and understand love. These artists explore dynamics within romantic partnership, sensual eroticism, family structures, social utopia, and life and death. They observe and declare circumstances of love that serve various intentions.
The projects on view in LOVE range from an expressive courtship dance enacted by two people learning how to meaningfully connect despite barriers of distance, to an embodied portrayal of feeling one’s own sensuality and pleasure. From an adult son’s photo collaboration with his nonagenarian father during his artist mother’s last weeks of life, to the love and pride held within queer parenting.
Themes of visibility and adoration recur as concepts embraced by many of the LOVE photographers, as they use portraiture and self-portraiture to affirm many different types of bodies as divinely worthy of enjoying gentle care and affection. The exhibition presents love as a universal value of respect and care for all humans.
LOVE: Still Not the Lesser features artists Alia Ali, Alicia Bruce, Jorian Charlton, Jess T. Dugan, Mari Katayama, Kierah KIKI King, Mous Lamrabat, Tom Merilion, Salma Abedin Prithi, Modou Dieng Yacine, Yuge Zhou, and the debut of Jorge Ariel Escobar.
Love is a right of existence.
– Led by Asha Iman Veal, MoCP Associate Curator
IN THE NEWS /
I Burn But I Am Not Consumed has been in the news. Thanks so much to all who are supporting the publication and ensuring the Menie residents remarkable stance against Trump is recognised.
Financial Times Weekend – Gallery 05/08/23
Vita (Italy) - ‘Il giorno che Michael e Sheila dissero no a Donald Trump’ 29 Jul 23
The Guardian - The Scottish villagers who defied Donald Trump’ 21 Jul 23
HUCK ‘The Devastating Impact of Trump’s Scottish Golf Courses’ 18 Jul 23
Press & Journal ‘Alicia Bruce’s pictures capture the struggle between Donald Trump and Menie residents’ 15 Jul 23
The Eye of Photography ‘Daylight Books : Alicia Bruce : I Burn But I Am Not Consumed’ 6 Jun 23
AllAboutPhoto.com ‘I Burn But I Am Not Consumed’ 25 May 2023
Booklaunches & Events /
The absolute highlight of this project for me is hand delivering books to my friends in Menie and seeing their response. Here’s Mike Forbes with his copy in June 2023
The last few months have been a whirlwind with ‘I Burn But I Am Not Consumed’ being published. Thanks to everyone who has already bought the book, shared your love for the book and made it to recent launch events at ICP and SVA (New York, USA), Arles Photobook Fair (Arles, France) and Street Level Photoworks (Glasgow, Scotland). I look forward to welcoming more of you to events at Aberdeen Art Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Photography (Chicago, USA), Stills (Edinburgh, Scotland), Martin Parr Foundation (Bristo. England) and British Centre for Photography (London, UK).
It was great to be in New York this May to sign preview copies of the book at ICP Photobook Fest where I also spoke on a panel discussion with Svetlana Bachevanova (FotoEvidence) and photographer Oscar B. Casiillo.
ICP Photobook Fair, NYC, 12 May 2023
ICP Photobook Fair, NYC, 12 May 2023
ICP Photobook Fair, NYC, 12 May 2023
Booklaunch at Street Level Photoworks, 13 July 2023. Photograph by Michael Prince
Booklaunch at Street Level Photoworks launch, 13 July 2023. Photograph by Michael Prince
Street Level Photoworks launch, 13 July 2023. Photograph by Michael Prince
Street Level Photoworks launch, 13 July 2023. Photograph by Michael Prince
Street Level Photoworks launch, 13 July 2023. Photograph by Michael Prince
I gave a lecture about the project at SVA (School of Visual Arts) and met so many wonderful people and I’m very thankful.
Much love and thanks to all who made it to the first UK book launch at Street Level Photoworks on 13 July. I was overwhelmed by the love and support for the book.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday 24 August 2023 , 630-830pm, Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen
The evening will include musical contribution from Karine Polwart and readings from the book, as well as a chance to purchase a copy of the book and get it signed.
Thursday 14th September, 630pm
Stills, Edinburgh, Scotland
Saturday 7 October, 11am
Talk and book signing - BOP Photobook Festival Bristol, UK Organised by The Martin Parr Foundation & Royal Photographic Society
Autumn 2023 - British Centre for Photography, London, UK (Date tbc)
MoCP CHICAGO EXHIBITION
Menie residents Mike & Sheila Forbes will be celebrated in an exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP) Chicago this year. LOVE: Still Not the Lesser, Aug 17–Dec 22, 2023, curated by Asha Iman Veal is going to be a special one.
I’ve been updating my socials and Kickstarter but realise not everyone sees those so adding some overdue updates here too. The book has also been in the press a lot including the Guardian, HUCK Magazine and more. One person just cannae do all of it all the time, thank you for understanfing. I’ll do a press roundup on my next news post.
BOOK 'I Burn But I Am Not Consumed' /
The book I Burn But I Am Not Consumed brings together photographs and an archive collated by photographer Alicia Bruce and the residents of Menie.
Read More
TV - The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland /
“This series will celebrate the monumental achievements of women, many of them unsung, who some quietly, and others shouting from the rafters, did so much to transform the lives of women and men in Scotland and beyond in the last five decades.”
— Kirsty Wark
It was an honour to be invited to be part of the BBC TV series ‘The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland’ presented by Kirsty Wark. All episodes are available on BBC iPlayer. I’m in episode 3 discussing my collaborative approach to making photographs with a focus on the ‘Violence Unseen’ campaign for Zero Tolerance. Violence Unseen exhibition continues to tour.
Presenter: Kirsty Wark
Series Producer: Catherine Abbott
Executive Producer: Rachel Bell
Consultants on the series included: Dr Kim Barker, Senior Lecturer in Law, and Dr Helen O’Shea, Lecturer in History
Menie TRUMPED Photobook Kickstarter /
Please support the production of this milestone photobook about a Scottish community standing up to Donald Trump.
Read MoreEdinburgh Uni Open Lectures /
Alex Salmond face to face with his constituents Mike and Sheila Forbes at ‘Menie: TRUMPED’ exhibition, Scottish Parliament , Scottish Environment Week, February 2013
Photography for Social Change
Open Lecture at University of Edinburgh
Wednesday 6th November
6.30pm - 8pm
I’ve been invited by Edinburgh University to give an open lecture about an aspect of my practice. Tickets are free.
“Open Lectures
Our Open Lectures series celebrates the research, projects, collaborations, events and professional practices of our teaching staff at the Centre for Open Learning. Our courses are designed and taught by an extraordinary range of talented and dedicated academics, practitioners and professionals. Many enjoy long and distinguished careers whilst others are in the early stages, perhaps in the midst of their postdoctoral study or working on their first book or exhibition.
Our new series will bring our learning community together to listen and engage with our tutors, as they reveal the story behind their own practices and research, perhaps through a funded project, a commission or continuing professional development.
Photography for Social Change
Photographer Alicia Bruce reflects on her practice with a focus on personal projects and campaigns to affect social change. Includes reflection on Menie: TRUMPED challenging Donald Trump’s Scottish developments, Zero Tolerance’s Violence Unseen raising awareness of men’s violence against women and 209 Women celebrating 100 years since women got the vote.
Alicia photographed the residents in legal conflict with Trump International Golf Links Scotland, President Donald Trump’s contested golf course on the coast of Aberdeenshire. Alicia’s image of Mike and Sheila Forbes, re-enacting Grant Wood’s sinister painting, ‘American Gothic’, evokes something of the tension in the original painting, with the Forbes defiant subjects ready to fight for their land, became widely exhibited and published.”
Location
The University of Edinburgh
Paterson's Land
Holyrood Road
Edinburgh
EH8 8AQ
More info here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/short-courses/events/open-lectures
UK Parliament Acquisition of Mhairi Black portrait. /
Mhairi Black MP by Alicia Bruce
Collaboration for 209 Women exhibition at UK Parliament and Open Eye, Liverpool
Read MoreBorn Before Brexit, European Prospects /
I was invited by Ffotogallery and European Prospects to expand my online profile with ‘Born Before Brexit’ and ‘Aspire’
Check out the page for amazing photography from all over Europe.
Anneliese Dodds MEP and 3 month old Izy fighting Brexit in European Parliament Strasbourg, June 2016
Photo Copyright Alicia Bruce
Zero Tolerance tours Violence Unseen /
‘Violence Unseen’, the exhibition of photographs I made for the Zero Tolerance campaign is set to travel all over Scotland in 2019.
Image: Violence Unseen installation at Stills Edinburgh, Courtesy of Stills
Tour dates:
Friday 1 February - Monday 11 February, Stirling Campus, Forth Valley College
Friday 22 March, Strathclyde University, Glasgow
Monday 1 April - Monday 15 April, Rosyth Library, Rosyth
Tuesday 16 April - Monday 29 April, Lochgelly Community Centre, Lochgelly
Sunday 19 May - Monday 22 May, St. Andrews University, St Andrews
UPDATE (requested by Zero Tolerance, 7th Feb 2019): "Please see the link here to upcoming exhibitions of Violence Unseen that are open to the public. This is because they are often subject to change, we will be adding, taking them down and editing them as we go, as well as linking them to bigger events that the exhibition is sometimes a part of etc.”
In 2018 the exhibition was shown across Scotland after being launched at Stills in September 2018. Since the Stills exhibition ‘Violence Unseen’ has been exhibited at The Scottish Storytelling Centre, The Scottish Government, Stirling Bus Station, COSLA and more during #16DaysofActivism
About the project
I was commissioned by Zero Tolerance to create a series of campaign photographs marking 25 years since the original bold campaign made by photographer Franki Raffles. Over the past decades there have been dramatic changes to public attitudes around some aspects of men’s violence against women. Yet domestic abuse, sexual violence and other forms of violence against women are still prevalent in Scotland today, especially for groups of women who face other forms of discrimination; women with learning disabilities, women who sell sex, lesbian, bisexual and trans (LBT) and black and minority ethnic women.
In response to this, Zero Tolerance has created a new photography exhibition, Violence Unseen, to explore these types of violence against women that remain unseen and unacknowledged by mainstream societyI collaborated with groups and individuals affected by men’s violence to create a series of photographs that explore the types of violence against women that remain unseen and unacknowledged by mainstream society. The photographs shine a light on the types of violence against women that still remain unacceptably hidden and better represent the constellation of women’s lived experiences. The project included an intensive period of research and collaboration with multiple partner organisations.
Want to exhibit this project?
That would be wonderful. Please get in touch if you would like to organise an exhibition in your area with Jo Zawadzka on jo.zawadzka@zerotolerance.org.uk. The exhibition is available free of charge, however we would really appreciate contribution towards transport costs and insurance.
What if I can’t make it?
That’s understandable but you should get in touch with Zero Tolerance to get it at a venue near you. We want this to be shown far and wide. You can also download the full brochure here or find out when you can see the exhibition here.
#ViolenceUnseen
209 Women at UK Parliament /
It was an honour and genuine pleasure to collaborate with Mhairi Black MP on a portrait for the trailblazing 209 Women which opens at UK Parliament on Friday 14 December, exactly 100 years since women got the vote.
‘Sure and steadfast’ Mhairi Black is the UK’s youngest MP she’s outspoken, a realist and fiercely committed to her constituency. For me, she's the embodiment of potential for a shifting establishment where the people's voice will be represented directly and honestly in parliament with a foot firmly in reality.
This landmark exhibition features portraits of 209 female MPs, photographed by 209 female photographers. It coincides with the centenary of the first election where women could cast a vote, and one hundred years after women gained the right to sit in Parliament as MPs.
“Aw they’re brilliant! Of course, you can share the feedback. Like I said, it is the first time I have had my photo taken with no hassle, and no over the top-ness. I even came away with chocolate! So chuffed with it.” Mhairi Black MP on her portraits, (I also made one for her obituary file which I hope she won’t need for a very long time.)
The portrait subtly references ‘The Trial of William Wallace at Westminster’ by Daniel Maclise (1870)
The exhibition is curated by Hilary Wood (Founder/Director of ‘209 Women’ and photographer), Tracy Marshall (Director of Development and Partnerships at Open Eye Gallery), Cheryl Newman (Artist, curator and former Director of Photography of the Telegraph magazine), and Lisa Tse (Brand Consultant, TV Producer and founder of women’s club The Sorority).
‘209 Women’ is delivered in partnership with Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool City Council, the Royal Photographic Society and The Sorority.
Other ways to see ‘209 Women’
Visitors attending House of Commons select committees in Portcullis House during the run of the exhibition can also view ‘209 Women’.
After Portcullis House, the exhibition will be displayed at the Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool.
Follow the exhibition on social media using #209women.
Violence Unseen Exhibition at Stills /
Over the past decades there have been dramatic changes to public attitudes around some aspects of men’s violence against women. Yet domestic abuse, sexual violence and other forms of violence against women are still prevalent in Scotland today, especially for groups of women who face other forms of discrimination; women with learning disabilities, women in prostitution, lesbian, bisexual and trans (LBT) and black and minority ethnic women.
Zero Tolerance and award-winning photographer Alicia Bruce have worked with groups and individuals affected by men’s violence to create a series of photographs that explore the types of violence against women that remain unseen and unacknowledged by mainstream society. The photographs shine a light on the types of violence against women that still remain unacceptably hidden and better represent the constellation of women’s lived experiences.
For further information contact: Jo Zawadzka jo.zawadzka@zerotolerance.org.uk and visit Stills website http://www.stills.org/exhibition/future-exhibition/violence-unseen
Please note, on Monday 3rd September the exhibition will only be open until 3pm.
3 Sep 2018 - 9 Sep 2018
Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh
'Our World Heritage' Commission and Exhibition /
‘Our World Heritage’ exhibition opened at the historic Tron Kirk in Edinburgh on 26 July 2018.
"A new exhibition which showcases the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh, as well as Scotland’s other five World Heritage Sites, opens today at the historic Tron Kirk on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. The exhibition, housed within the atmospheric 17th century former kirk, attempts to capture the essence of the World Heritage Site in Edinburgh through the voices and opinions of local people. The story is told in a series of videos, quotes, and specially commissioned portraits from award-winning Scottish photographer Alicia Bruce. ‘Our World Heritage’ explains what makes Edinburgh’s heritage so special and internationally recognised as well as highlighting some of the issues associated with the World Heritage Site. A series of sections, with titles such as ‘City of Contrasts’, ‘Survival Stories’, and ‘High and Mighty’ set out the formal reasons for the city’s UNESCO inscription, but also challenge residents and visitors to think differently about the city and consider some uncomfortable questions. These range from whether we are doing enough to conserve the authenticity of the site, the role of the transatlantic slave trade in funding the city’s extraordinary 18th and early 19th century expansion, and the absence of women in the city’s many grand statues and monuments."
Ages of Wonder /
Ages of Wonder at Royal Scottish Academy
Read MoreZero Tolerance Commission /
I am honoured and excited to work with Zero Tolerance on a new campaign
Read MoreCrisis - What If? Collaboration /
I've been working in collaboration with homeless people through Crisis Skylight Edinburgh as part of the charities 50 year anniversary using a 50-year-old twin lens reflex. An outdoor exhibition has been placed around Edinburgh on billboard and poster sites allowing 24hr access and as wide an audience as possible to the images and stories. 32 images from the project are also being exhibited at Edinburgh's Central Library.
Launch: Join us for the exhibition launch on Wednesday 5th July at Art and Design Library (within the Central Library), George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EG. Routemaster bus leaves at 630pm to visit the billboards. 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Exhibition: 4 - 29 July Art and Design Library (within the Central Library), George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EG
Billboards and Posters: Throughout Edinburgh, throughout July
More info on the nationwide project at www.crisis.org.uk/get-involved/art-in-crisis/
Ex-serviceman Jamie Robertson being photographed for The Scotsman with his billboard. 5th July 2017
'Menie: TRUMPED' at Fix Photo Fest and Photo London /
12 - 21st May 2017
Read MoreFix Photo Festival Announced /
FIX Photo Festival 2017
12 - 21 May
Free Entry
I'm excited to be bringing Menie: TRUMPED to Fix Photo Festival during this year's Photo London
Venue: Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London SE1 9PH
Opening Hours
Monday - Sunday
Friday 12 - Sunday 21 May 11.00 - 20.30
Monday 15 May 11.00 - 18.00
Tuesday 16 - Sunday 21 11.00 - 20.30
Bargehouse is owned and managed by Coin Street Community Builders: www.coinstreet.org