Tuesday 6 November 2012

Document Scotland

Over the last few months, I have been involved in setting up a project which aims to combine photography with zeitgeist.

Conceived over a beer and a bowl of dim sum in a backstreet cafe in Beijing earlier this year, Document Scotland is the brainchild of three Scottish photographers: myself, Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert and Stephen McLaren. We looked at the world and decided that the world will soon be looking at Scotland. In the run up to the 2014 referendum on Independence, there's no doubt that the 'best wee country in the world,' as the Government likes to describe it, is going to be in the eye of a political and social storm, one which will shape and mould Scotland's future for generations to come.

And into this maelstrom, photography must step. Scotland has a long and noble tradition of producing peerless documentary photography. In addition, the country has provided a backdrop for many of the most acclaimed and celebrated photographers who have chosen to come and make work. We firmly believe that it our responsibility to take on the challenge of defining and communicating what the next two years have in store, socially, culturally, environmentally and politically.

So Document Scotland sets out with a manifesto to encourage, support and disseminate outstanding documentary photography. It should have the power to provide the resources for its photographers to develop themes and ideas and to make new work. Working collectively will give each practitioner support, guidance and a sense of working towards a common goal.

Today we welcome our fourth member of the team to Document Scotland: Edinburgh-born photographer Sophie Gerrard has already acquired the reputation as one of the country's most exciting emerging talents. We are looking forward to working with her and raising the profile of- and opportunities for each one of this 'fab four' collective.

Here's more information about Document Scotland.