Ways of Looking

Seeing as this is a site based around photography, it seems a good place to tell you about Ways of Looking, a major festival of photography that's taking place across Bradford for the duration of October.

Today I popped into two exhibits on the way home, Tate Prize winner Jeremy Deller's Poking About, at Gallery 1, and Red Saunders' Hidden at the adjacent Impressions Gallery.

Deller's installation is a selection from various Bradford photographic archives, and is a fascinating portrayal of the city''s people. I particularly liked the stained glass window made out of magin lantern slides, through which you could watch the current residents of the city going about their lives.

Saunders' work is very differerent: huge photographic reconstructions of people and events from Britain's radical past, including the Chartists, the Levellers and the Captain Swing riots. A couple of the pieces have been newly created for this exhibition.

There are lots of other exhibits, inside and outside, across the city, including at the National Media Museum where there are always great photography shows.

This image is of one of the festival banners, featuring the Bradford Boar, displayed in Gallery 1 overlooking Centenary Square. And as a taste of the city, you have a refelction of the iconic italianate bell tower of our City hall, which has featured in many previous blips.

If you're into photography, you should come and visit. There's plenty to keep you occupied for a full day, including interactive smart phone guided photographic walks around the city. And while you're here, you can take on the growing group of Bradford blippers on our own patch.

ways of looking ~ at the city ~ helps ~ the city ~ see itself