Photographic drawing

The United Kingdom is going through the COVID-19 lockdown. History sits organised and undisturbed. Stored in boxes, silently waiting with patience until the next academic with permission can access the contents once again. The collection sits still in the dark, it’s not at risk of disappearance nor will the stories they hold be lost. For a time when we all are isolated from the archive, history will just wait until someone can tell the stories once more.

Collaborating with Louise K Wilson on the Artist @ Distance residency. I started to photograph the undisturbed archive space. Exploring the environment with limited lighting, just as it had sat for months at end with no visits and limited archivist attention. Low lighting caused the shutter speed to slow, the handshake caused lines to merge in new abstract compositions. The camera sat on the boxes top for steady motion, peering through the packed shelves allowing sparks of light to pass through.

Photographs taken within the University of Gloucester Archives & Special Collections repository, October 2020.