The Kilkenny Photographic society (KPS) officially opened their 2014 annual exhibition last Saturday (Aug 9th). This was their biggest annual exhibition ever andmarked the 31st successive exhibition year since the society was founded in 1983.
44 members exhibited a total of 365 images in the a “pop-up” gallery in the Kilkenny Arcade (this joins High Street and James Street in the city).
The exhibition had a working title of: “Let us tell you a story” and it was left to the individual members to interpret this as they saw fit.
Some members have created image panels that tell a tightly created story, while other members’ panels have themes that are more loosely woven, while still others members allow the individual images within their panel to tell their own story. A raised standard can be seen across all images and panels and the exhibition is a testament to the individual creativity and skill of the members. This year the availability of additional space for members allowed for greater expression of their artistry and skill. If you get the opportunity to visit the exhibition, then we encourage you to take the time to analyse the individual images and the panels to help gain insight into the photographers’ creativity and artistry.
The story I attempted to tell was inspired by a verse translated by Seamus Heaney from the 11th century poem Colum Cille Cicinit. which dwelt on the theme of emigration and loneliness. It’s difficult to recreate the gallery panel layout, but the images can be viewed in sequence here.