Significant Ties

A socially engaged commission for the GroundUP project in South West Burnley, Lancashire resulting in a pop up photographic studio, a series of portraits and a set of postcards. Significant Ties celebrates the bonds and ties that are so strong between communities in South West Burnley. The public were invited to have their portrait taken in a pop-up photographic portrait studio. Each participant enjoyed a hair and make up session, tea and cakes before they sat for the photographer taking on the pose of a Victorian portrait. Participants were selected through a system of nomination, each person nominating a locally based, close friend, relative or neighbour whom they respected for their work in the community. In turn, those people were asked to nominate another person, and so on, forming a naturally selected group of people chosen by the community and crossing age, culture and geography. The connections demonstrated through the nominations illustrate the bonds between Burnley people, and the value they attribute to community work despite local economic and employment pressures. Selected portraits were exhibited on the exterior walls of Coal Clough Library and the entire collection made into a set of postcards, wrapped in printed brown paper and distributed around the town.