The Photo Hub group
Joint founder of this serious new photography group ANDREW MORAN writes about its aims and plans
The Photo Hub group, (Phg) was first mooted in a meeting between Lucy Bell and Andrew Moran in the summer of 2008. Grace Lau joined them soon afterwards. The core group of photographers was gradually evolved from students at Hastings Art College, and the group has been extended through application and portfolio.
Aware of the position of photography in contemporary culture the Phg is dedicated to promoting photo-centric activity in Hastings and the surrounding area.
Currently, photographic culture is being extended in the Hastings and Rother area through several varied zones of influence. Expert writers, gallerists, journalists, and photographers have moved to this town in appreciation of its open and creative possibilities and the Phg organisation is enthusiastically adding to the accelerating impetus.
Phg has recently had its first group show in collaboration with Soco artists at St Mary-in-the-Castle gallery space as a part of the Coastal Currents event, to critical acclaim. The show, Conversation from the Edge, aimed to extend creative possibilities by inter-weaving ideas and concepts presented by fine artists and photographers in an open discourse over a series of meetings. The result was an eclectic mix of possibilities in which the disciplines were explored from new perspectives. The results presented an enriched process.
The future of creative photographic practice in our area is in good health with the inter-twining of art disciplines and the wealth of knowledgeable gallery influences, including the Independent Photographer’s Gallery, Williams Project Space, De La Warr Pavilion, F-ish and the Stone Squid experimental space.
The next target must be to work to develop a healthy industrial practice too. This, in an attempt to give our young people a local future in an area of business that must surely be at its most accessible in the computer age, although a knowledge of the traditional processes is important to an understanding of the value of photography’s specific character.
It is important that groups such as Phg strive to develop a high regard for good standards in photographic practice and to further an appreciation of the discipline encouraging its development and expansion in the local area for the benefit of the community, local industry and art.
Works in the SoCo show by PHG
member Steve Rutter, inspired by
the rear of Marine Court
