Dr Alasdair Foster, Leverhulme Visiting Professor from Melbourne and Ambassador to the Asia-Pacific PhotoForum, is one of the most original, provocative and inspiring thinkers in photography. We are delighted to welcome him to Manchester during a brief visit to the UK for a keynote lecture that sets the scene for the next National Photography Symposium later in 2018 on The Future of Work in Photography.
About this event
Photography: where is the medium going? Aside from the obvious technical developments, though facilitated by them, there are significant shifts in who makes a photograph and why. For the first seventy years the medium of photography was predominantly about bringing distant things close and its leading proponents were amateurs with private means. For much of the twentieth century photography was seen as the lasting trace of a time already past. An archival object whose most illustrious makers were professionals. In the new century, photography is freed from the artefact and open to many more people not only to make pictures, but to modify and share them widely. Photography is entering its third age, the age of the pro-am.
These shifts in the production, dissemination and understanding of photography mean that we must re-evaluate and re-conceptualise our ideas about what constitutes our public visual culture. To do this fairly and effectively we must think with open minds, and be prepared to let go of comfortable habits and cherished beliefs; we must engage with the world as it is and as it is becoming. Together.
Who is it for?
This lecture is for those interested in the future of creative practice; for photographers, artists, cultural leaders, producers, organisers, strategists, critics, politicians and anyone who believes in the importance of arts, photography and creativity.
About the Speaker
Alasdair Foster is a consultant specialising in international cultural projects and a researcher in the theory of arts policy formation. He was the founding director of Fotofeis, the international biennale of photographic art in Scotland (1991–1997) and, more recently, director of the Australian Centre for Photography (1998–2011). He has 20 years’ experience heading national arts institutions in Europe and Australia and over 35 years of working in the not-for-profit sector (both as a board member and as an employee).
“It was hugely refreshing to find in Alasdair Foster a person who could cut through the fog of rhetoric, jargon and posturing that is so abundant in the art world. His clarity is uplifting.” Shahidul Alam, Founder, Pathshala: South Asian Media Institute and Chobi Mela photography festival
“Alasdair Foster is a hugely original thinker with a big-picture perspective. His work is informed by a rigorous intellectual framework and a global perspective which keeps him at the forefront of international developments.” Matthew Alderson, Partner – Asia Pacific, Harris Moure pllc Beijing
When
This event starts at 19:00 on Wednesday 27th June until 20:30. Doors open at 18:30
Where
International Anthony Burgess Foundation, 3 Cambridge St, Manchester M1 5BY. The venue is fully accessible. For more information on International Anthony Burgess Foundation including how to get there please follow this link.
Tickets
This event is free, but booking is essential. Please register via the link below. It is also possible to make a donation at the time of registering; this helps to support our future programme of events.
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