Nenagh photographers show their works

An exhibition of photographs captured by people living in Nenagh and surrounding areas will go on show in Nenagh Arts Centre next month.

The event is being curated by The Nenagh Street Collective, a group of mainly local photographers and other visual artists who have come together to share their interest and learn from each other on how to hone the skills.

The exhibition, which is to launch on Thursday, March 14, will feature a total of 20 photographs that range from works of still life, landscape, portraiture and more.

Most slots have already been filled for the event, and the collective is inviting other locals who would like to show their photography to submit works for consideration for the final spaces to complete the display.

Among those showing their work is local photographer Kevin Lim, who exhibits globally and judges in various international street photography competitions each year. He shares his insights through published works and conducts workshops both locally and internationally.

Another involved in the initiative is Shivaniee Nadarajah, a native of Sri Lanka, who has been living in the town for the past two years.

Shivaniee explained that The Nenagh Street Collective was a great way for local people interested in photography and visual arts to meet like-minded people and to share and improve their knowledge and skills in their mutual hobby.

“It’s not like a club as such because there are no officers and no hierarchy,” Shivaniee, who uses her mobile phone to take all her photographs, explained. “Everybody is treated equally in the collective.”

Members of the collective meet on the first Tuesday of every month in the Arts Centre. Their sessions feature professional photographers who share their knowledge and love of photography with those in attendance.

Another whose work will be on show is Terry O’ Rourke who has vast experience working as a local freelance professional photographer and whose photographs  embellished the pages of this newspaper and other local publications over many years.

The organisers of the exhibition have imposed no restrictions on the type of works to be included, instead giving members free rein to explore their creativity.  “We have no theme for the event and photographs that feature could be a flower or a streetscape. There are no restrictions - it can be anything,” Shivaniee pointed out.

OPEN A DOOR

She and others involved in the collective are hoping the exhibition generates greater public awareness of the grouping and that the event may “open a new door” for others out there who might like to be part of what they are about.

“Everybody is welcome. All are treated equally and there are no formalities,” said Shivaniee.

The exhibition will feature both colour and monochrome works, and displayed alongside many of the individual photographs will be a brief biography of the person who took the picture and an explanation of the inspiration behind the shot.

Terry O’ Rourke said The Nenagh Street Collective emerged after a photo workshop held in the town during National Arts Week last year.

“There was a huge response to the workshop, with 20 plus people attending, he said. “So the question after that was should we keep this group going and meet once a month and people were overwhelmingly in favour of that.”

Terry said you don’t have to be knowledgeable about photography to become part of the collective. “Most of the people there use their phones and we don’t even care if they take pictures. They may be other visual artists doing painting or whatever but they just want to be part of the group for inspiration or whatever.

“People might think they have to have a camera, but they absolutely don’t,” said Terry, who revealed that around half of the images that will feature in the exhibition were captured on phone cameras.

As part of their monthly meetings the members of the collective often go on local walkabouts taking photographs.

Summing up the aims of the collective, he added: “It’s really just to advance visual imagery and visual artists and give them the opportunity to join a group and bounce off ideas.”

The exhibition will run at the Arts Centre for four weeks from March 14.

For those interested in getting involved in the collective or securing one of those final few slots available you can contact Shivaniee at 086-45 53 557 or Terry at 087-17 91 163.

Inclusion of works in the exhibition will be on a first come first served basis.