In association with the Royal Photographic Society
Join photographic artist Jo Gane for an in‑gallery talk on her exhibition “In the Forest of Arden”, exploring early photographic processes, George Shaw’s Packington Park landscapes and the material history of nineteenth‑century photography.
RPS members are invited to an evening with photographic artist and researcher Jo Gane at General Office Gallery in Stourbridge on Thursday 19 March at 7pm. The talk will be held in person in the gallery and simultaneously broadcast via Zoom. Please book your free ticket for either the in-person talk or the Zoom broadcast.
Jo’s current exhibition “In the Forest of Arden” presents a new body of work developed from her practice-based PhD research into early photographs made by George Shaw (1818–1904). Working with historic processes including daguerreotype, calotype and wet plate collodion, Jo engages directly with nineteenth‑century materials and chemistries to explore how process, place and time shape photographic images.
In winter 2021–22 she retraced Shaw’s footsteps through Packington Park, Warwickshire, re‑photographing its trees and landscape using the calotype, a positive/negative paper process invented in 1841 that uses silver nitrate brushed onto fine paper and developed in gallic acid. The prints in this exhibition are made from calotype negatives using traditional salt and silver printing, alongside polymer photogravure on Japanese Kozo paper, with pigments ground in linseed oil to preserve the fleeting reds, oranges and purples seen during the calotype’s chemical development.
During the talk Jo will discuss:
- Her PhD research into George Shaw and early photography in Birmingham.
- The making of “In the Forest of Arden” and revisiting Packington Park with historical processes.
- The practicalities and creative possibilities of calotype, salt printing and polymer photogravure for contemporary practice.
This event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from the artist within the exhibition space and to deepen your understanding of early photographic techniques and their relevance today. Attendance in the gallery is limited, so early booking is essential. The live Zoom stream provides access for those unable to attend in person.
Discover more about Jo Gane on her website: www.jogane.co.uk.
All RPS members and friends with an interest in photographic history, alternative processes and landscape are very welcome. The talk will be recorded and available for a month to view for members who registered for the Zoom call.