POMPEY DARKROOM

Hello! As we start thinking about what 2025 and beyond looks like I thought I'd share an opportunity for people to share their thoughts and opinions about what they'd like to see from us. We have a submission link in our bio - it's anonymous, feel free to share your hopes for 2025. What would you like to see happen? Your ideas and suggestions help us to shape what events we make happen next year and now is the perfect opportunity for you to have your say too! 🙏

Join us on November 30th for our final event of the year @pittstskatepark Photo Social is an opportunity for the community to get together and socialise in a relaxed environment, feel free to bring something photography related to chat about, or just bring yourselves! The event will start at 5pm, make sure to arrive close to that time to guarantee people will be around, lastly this will also be an opportunity to see ‘Out of Season’ by Billie Rae Cawte ( @billieraephoto ) which is on from now until the new year inside the cafe as part of @photofringe 2024.

After a few weeks of rest we wanted to reflect on the wonderful day we held at the start of this month. It was super exciting to bring FREE portfolio reviews into the city, for the first time in a long time. Even better, We were able to ask @kirstygmackay and @kelly.o.brien to be a part of it, both of their practices resonate deeply with me and I even wrote about them in my dissertation. It was truly wonderful to have them then talk about their work in a Photo Talk we held later in the day, I'll post the full recording soon! All of this wouldn't of been possible without the collaboration between us and @photofringe @clairewearn alongside the generous support given to us by @photoworks_uk and @aspexportsmouth and a special thank you to @billieraephoto for helping out with camera bits! We are slowing down for the rest of the year now but will have one more event happening at the very end of November as well as some virtual opportunities to give some feedback and thoughts about what next year will look like. ~ Karl

It was lovely to celebrate the opening of the Open24 Young Photographers show at @aspexportsmouth on Sunday! Part of this years Photo Fringe, the work from eleven different local photographers is on show now! From portraiture to still life and landscapes, these young artists have embraced this year’s festival theme, ‘Common Ground,’ using photography to explore shared understanding and new perspectives. Exhibiting photographers: Mara Albu, Bill Barlow, Bertie Blake, Maxx Cave, Oliver Frank, Honey Hillage, Nathan Marsh, Noah Maupin-Vincent, Kelly James McKeown, Hawta Mohamed and Kian Storey. You can see the work in the Communal Space until 27 October!

📣 Exhibition Opening Tomorrow!! As part of PhotoFringe 2024, ‘Cast in Salt, Etched in Stone’ will be opening tomorrow evening at The Round Tower 🌟 This group exhibition features works from Maya Brasington @mayabrasington, Serena Burgis @serena.burgis and Livvy Eden @livvyeden_ and draws from the materiality of evocative landscapes both near and far, forging intimate connections to family, womanhood, and the passage of time. You can find The Round Tower as the first stop on the PhotoFringe Trail across Portsmouth and Brighton. For a sneak peak into some of the works that will be shown, you can find the digital version of the exhibition on the PhotoFringe website, or find links in the artists’ bios. — Opening Night 🥂 Thu 17th Oct 17:30 - 20:00 Open Hours 🕙 Fri 18th, Sat 19th & Sun 20th 10:30 - 16:30 — 📍The Round Tower Broad St, Old Portsmouth PO1 2JE @hotwallsstudios Kindly supported by @photoworks_uk and @_artswork_

We're really excited to be bringing @kelly.o.brien and @kirstygmackay down to Portsmouth next Saturday. (October 12th) as part of Portsmouth's @photofringe weekender! We have some FREE portfolio review slots still available for early afternoon if you want to book you can use the link in our bio! Shortly after both Kelly and Kirsty will also be doing 40 minute talks about their practice, you'll also have an opportunity to ask questions afterwards! Please join us next Saturday at @aspexportsmouth for an exciting day of events! We'll also have our acclaimed secondhand Photobook stall. 😉 All of this made possible through an exciting collaboration with @photofringe supported by @photoworks_uk and @aspexportsmouth

Exhibition Announcement! Join us to celebrate the culmination of a Summer long project where we commissioned @eddie.stenstrom72 to make a photographic response to @downtownpompey Queer Mapping Project. Tracing Safe/r Spaces is an exploration of ‘safe spaces’ and what they mean for queer individuals, emphasising that these spaces are not limited to physical locations; but can also be moments, feelings, or experiences that evoke a sense of security, comfort, and authenticity. All our welcome to join us for the opening night on Friday October 11th between 6:00 - 8:30 PM at the wonderful @theboxgallerysouthsea as part of this years @photofringe We'd like to thank partners @downtownpompey and @theboxgallerysouthsea and a special thank you to @eddie.stenstrom72 who has made some really exciting new work, all thanks to his sheer drive and determination.

On October 12th as part of @photofringe we'll be hosting Free Portfolio reviews with artists @kelly.o.brien and @kirstygmackay - spaces are very limited so book quickly! The event will be held at @aspexportsmouth between 1-3pm and after the reviews, Kelly and Kirsty will present and discuss their work between 4-6pm. Have any questions about what a portfolio review entails or what you need to prepare? Feel free to drop us a DM! You can book your slot and a pay what you can ticket for the talk using the link in our bio. Kindly supported by Aspex Portsmouth and Photoworks UK.

On October 12th in collaboration with @photofringe we have amazing artists Kelly O'Brien and Kirsty Mackay (@kelly.o.brien @kirstygmackay) hosting free 20 minute portfolio reviews which you can now book using the link in our bio! Be quick, spaces are very limited! Supported by @aspexportsmouth and @photoworks_uk

THIS THURSDAY! 19th September 4-8:30pm Our next event is a Japanese Photobook Night in collaboration with Portsmouth Analogue eXperiments hosted at @aspexportsmouth There will be talks on the collection from University of Arts Bournemouth, a chance to spend time with the books and another talk all about Japanese Photography from the 60's and 70's. This is a very special event and not one to miss, tickets are free/pay what you can and you can drop in and out of the event as much as you please. Link can be found in our bio for tickets!

In collaboration with @photofringe we're really excited to announce we'll have @kelly.o.brien and @kirstygmackay talking about their practices on Saturday 12th October 4-6pm held at @aspexportsmouth They'll also be conducting free portfolio reviews in the afternoon 1-3pm which you'll be able to book very soon! In the meantime you can book your free/pay what you can ticket to the talk via our link in bio! Supported by @photoworks_uk

Our next event is coming up soon! Thursday 19th September 4-8:30pm in collaboration with @pattigaalholmes and PAX. We're taking over the communal space at @aspexportsmouth to bring you a night of Japanese Photobooks. There will be talks on this special collection from University of Arts Bournemouth, a chance to spend time with the books and another talk all about Japanese Photography from the 60's and 70's. This is a very special event and not one to miss, tickets are free/pay what you can and you can drop in and out of the event as much as you please. Link can be found in our bio!