John Davies

DAVIES 1983, Agecroft Colliery, Salford

DAVIES 1983, Slag Heap, Murton, County Durham

DAVIES 1983, Allotments, Easington Colliery, County Durham

DAVIES 1983, Easington Colliery, County Durham

DAVIES 1988, Reddish Vale, Stockport

All above images are the copyright of John Davies, and can be viewed at http://www.johndavies.uk.com/

"I am not so much interested in entertaining an audience or providing vehicles for escape but in delivering a highly crafted detailed image conveying a sense of reality. A reality that shares a recognition of aspects of urban living. But importantly, making images of a landscape that attempts to question our acceptance and perception of the inevitable consequences of living in a post imperialist society and within a post industrial landscape". -John Davies, November 2011. This can be viewed at http://www.johndavies.uk.com/abiog.htm

The images above were all taken by British landscape photographer John Davies. Davies is known for his work documenting the landscapes of Britian and in particular, their relationship with industrialization and urban life. Davies is one of the photographers I briefly researched way back when I first started this project. I particularly liked his works on Easington Colliery because they highlighted perfectly how a landscape is changed through the process of industrialization. Even though I am no longer making work directly focusing on the changes and industrial building work happening in my hometown, the reason I have looked again into Davies work is because it is important to note how I got to where I am and where I may be heading with regards to my thinking processes and creating work. The starting point of my project this term was the notion of change, city landscapes and in particular documenting what could only be described as destruction within the area in which I grew up. Similarly, these images taken by Davies document an urban way of life in a way that represents a landscape environment.

Davies' work around industrialization, and in particular the images above, have been a strong influence on my thought processes because they represent, in my mind, places that I remember from my own hometown right from when I was a little girl. The power plant for example, is just one image of many that creates a strong memory of the power plant near my home, a place I used to stare at with awe and wonder as a child. Similarly, and even more interestingly, Davies "Slag Heap, County Durham" taken in 1983 holds an almost uncanny resemblance to how the building works within my area currently look like. These images have provided a place for me to view the notion of change, past and present, without literally being photographs of my memories.

Davies has taken all of these images from above, looking out onto the landscape or down the hill onto the housing, buildings and other industrialized views. It is important to note here (as previously discussed) that this is a subjective view, removing the photographer from the landscape and detaching him/her from any form of relationship he/she may have forged with this place. After looking at the images I have reseached, the images I am beginning to produce and in particular taking into account how my idea has changed, I believe that it would work better for me to continue to take my photographs in a way which sets me right in the heart of it. My idea is based on my own personal memories as a child growing up in this neighbourhood, and therefore in my opinion it would make no sense to take a subject view on the matter, as this would only take away from the whole reasoning behind the project and it's personal representation of myself and my memories.