• Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

North East Connected

Hopping Across The North East From Hub To Hub

Screen Shot 2016-05-12 at 10.00.34THE iconic Tees Transporter Bridge and Middlesbrough’s industrial heartland are the stars of a new photography exhibition opening this week.

Photographer Stephen Gill’s striking images of the bridge and its surroundings go on display at the revamped Transporter Visitor Centre from Saturday (May 14).

Originally from Middlesbrough and now based in Nottingham, Stephen’s practice specialises in post-industrial landscapes along the River Tees.

The series of pictures going on show at the Visitor Centre were commissioned by Middlesbrough Council and Arts Council England in 2011 to celebrate the Transporter Bridge centenary.

The ‘Hinterland’ project – originally shown at the Dorman Museum, Python Gallery and Kirkleatham Museum – features images in both colour and black and white exploring how the environment in and around the bridge was used in the past, how it is being used now and how it may be used in the future.

His latest work, part of the Infra ordinaire series – commissioned by mima and part of the recent Localism exhibition – is a study of an unoccupied area in Port Clarence next to the site of the Biomass Power Station currently under construction.

Several of the prints have been retained by mima as part of their collection, and Stephen was recently awarded funding from Durham University’s Department of Geography to continue making work on the site, investigating the human elements of landscape and psycho-geography.

mima also holds a collection of large-scale colour photographs from Stephen’s ‘Soccerscape’ project which he created between 1994 and 1996 on the construction of the nearby Riverside Stadium.

Stephen said: “It is a great opportunity for me to return to Teesside and not only to continue to produce new work in the area around Port Clarence but also to have the support of Middlesbrough Council and mima enabling me to show my photography to a wider audience.”

Councillor Charlie Rooney, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, said: “The Transporter is one of the most instantly recognisable features in the Teesside landscape, but Stephen’s striking images show that there are always new ways to view it.

“They beautifully capture the area’s industrial heritage, the unmistakable form of one of the icons of the North East, and the change that regeneration is starting to bring.

“Anyone with an interest in the history of Middlesbrough and the changing face of our industrial heartland will enjoy this fascinating exhibition.”

Admission to the Visitor Centre is free – for more information call 01642 727265 or visit teestransporterbridge.com.

By admin