The Project
'A Different Light' provides an alternative vision of Thurrock, with its mixture of industrial and rural landscapes.
Photographer Richard Heeps' unique eye, well known for making the ordinary extraordinary, provides a completely new perspective on this corner of south Essex on the Thames Estuary at a particularly interesting time. As part of Thames Gateway, Thurrock is on the verge of enormous change - Richard's pictures record it at a particular time in its development.
Richard has taken the commission both literally and metaphorically - using different light as an artistic focus, as well as showing the area in a different light, helping to change perceptions of Thurrock both among local residents and those outside the area.
An established artist based in the East of England, Richard Heeps has been exhibited in galleries across the UK.
The Context
This exhibition was commissioned by Thurrock Arts Generate, part of a regional initiative funded by Arts Council England, East.
Arts Generate aims to contribute to Thurrock Council's ambition to use culture as a catalyst for change by raising aspirations, perceptions and expectations through high quality arts and creative activity for everyone.
In addition to A Different Light (which also includes a series of poetry workshops in addition to the exhibition) arts|generate is developing and delivering a number of projects to benefit people in Thurrock. 'A Different Light' will be published in book form in October 2004.
Sizes may vary slightly from image to image as we make each composition from the negative individually, either showing Richard's signature ragged edge (white border) as he prints full frame or showing the film rebate (black border) often showing the film make. Where the image size varies we adjust the window mount in order to maintain a frame size so like for like sizes can hang together.
Artwork Description
Richard makes the c-type prints from negative in his own analogue colour darkroom in Cambridge. His paper of choice is Kodak Professional Endura Premier Gloss. When Richard has chosen to evolve the artwork, we work with Streamline Colour Lab. In our studio the print is dry-mounted to dibond which ensures a very flat image surface in both the short and long term. The prints are matted (window mounted) using a museum quality 100% cotton rag board especially manufactured to be compatible with the C-type archival Kodak photographic paper Richard uses. Richard does all mounting himself, using his precision engineering background to create the finished artwork. Eleanor fits the artworks to the frames. Traditionally photographic prints are signed and numbered on the back, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. They can be signed on the front of the mount by request. If you would like us to make a larger artwork that is possible, the sizes listed are the largest we can make in our darkroom but we can go larger with our printing partners so please get in touch to discuss it.
Framing Description
Our frames are hand-made in the UK by Menor Photographic Fine Art Printing & Framing Specialists in Hertfordshire. We offer a choice of black or white wooden box frames which have depth to suit the size of the picture, the artwork set back from the glass. Our black frames are made from matt ebony stained obeche, in which you can see the detail of the wood grain whereas our white frames are made from beech and the wood grain is not visible. The wood is sustainably forested for both variations of frame. Artglass AR 70™ is a premium anti-reflective glass used by the finest museums around the world. If you would like to present you artwork in another way, we offer the choice to buy an unframed print only and can advise you on other options or recommend reputable companies to carry out the work.