Taking its name from the novelist Zadie Smith’s idea of the ‘Dream City’, Dreamlines: Picturing Bristol’s High Streets is a new project from Bristol Photo Festival, funded by Historic England and Bristol City Council.
The innumerable interwoven stories derived from city life are the inspiration for new commissions from photographers either living in Bristol or with strong ties to the city: Michael Alberry, Kirsty Mackay, Chris Hoare, Clementine Schneidermann, Khali Ackford, Sebastian Bruno, Jade Carr-Daley, Mohamed Hassan and Lua Ribeira.
They will be making images in collaboration with writers, facilitators and the communities which they depict, ensuring the personality and energy of Bristol’s many historic high streets can be authentically brought to bear on their work.
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Billy, 19, by Kirsty Mackay. Easterhouse, Glasgow 2018 (from the series The Fish That Never Swam) – photo: courtesy of the artist. For Dreamlines, Mackay (Filton Avenue) will be exploring the impact of the cost of living crisis on local communities.
Black Lives Matter Organisers, by Khali Ackford. Castle Park, Bristol 2021 (from the series Celebration) – photo: courtesy of the artist. For Dreamlines, Ackford (Two Mile Hill) will be working to explore the everyday hidden heritage of the area where many businesses have historic roots, for example, Bakers Corner which has been in place for nearly 100 years and The Nylon Shop, a haberdashers operating for over 60 years.
Outside Poundstretcher, by Chris Hoare. East Street, Bristol. 2014 – photo: courtesy of the artist. For Dreamlines, Hoare (Shirehampton) will set up a temporary portrait studio to create a record of those living in the area. In addition, he is working with community groups for both the old and the young to both remember and re-imagine the high street.
From East Street to Filwood Broadway; Church Road to Stockwood, the project’s intention is to foster a sense of celebration, support, connection and revival in these very characterful pockets of the city.
The initiative promises what Ellen Harrison at Historic England deems “visual storytelling on a grand scale.
£This exciting project will bring nine communities across Bristol together with talented photographers to explore identity, belonging and pride of place.”
Pam, her granddaughter and great-granddaughters outside the Tap and Barrel, Bedminster. Chris Hoare. Bedminster, Bristol 2014 – photo: courtesy of the artist.
Remembrance Day, Nantyglo, by Sebastian Bruno – photo: courtesy of the artist. For Dreamlines, Bruno (Two Mile Hill) will be collaborating with The Hive, an organisation working with neurodiverse groups, on a series of workshops will take inspiration from the cinema.
Marilyn, by Clementine Schneidermann (styling and direction by Charlotte James), 2019 – photo: courtesy of the artist. For Dreamlines, Schneidermann (Shirehampton) will be working with The Shire Stitchers to collaboratively produce a series of personal quilts using creative portraiture.
For Bristol Photo Festival director, Alejandro Acin, the initiative represents an exciting opportunity to assemble “a collective portrait” of contemporary Bristol.
“While Bristol is one city, it contains many layers and stories,” he reflects, also commenting: “The photographers we have commissioned will not only make a record of time and place, but also explore the playfulness and nuances of the photographic medium”.
Dreamlines will culminate in four exhibitions of selected images, taking place in four of the high street locations explored by the participating photographers: Filton Avenue, Shirehampton High Street, Stapleton Road and Two Mile Hill.
Evening Prayer, by Michael Alberry. Cwmbran, Wales 2014 (from the series A Time To Dance) – photo: courtesy of the artist. For Dreamlines, Alberry (Filton Avenue) will be photographing spaces and landmarks to explore ideas of community, working in collaboration with Ebenezer Church, The Filtones Choir and the Filton Primary School.
Hiraeth, by Mohamed Hassan. Alexandria, Egypt 2018 (from the series The Place I Call Home) – photo: courtesy of the artist. For Dreamlines, Hassan (Stapleton Road) photographed during Eid Mubarak, and working with cultural groups in the area.
S. Lee, by Jade Carr-Daley. St Pauls, Bristol 2017 – photo: courtesy of the artist. For Dreamlines, Carr-Daley (Stapleton Road) will collaborate with businesses in the area that act as community hubs, and building on her ongoing work with Black mums and women’s groups to reflect recent challenges.
Images from Dreamlines: Picturing Bristol’s High Streets will be on display on high streets across the city in September. For more information about the project, visit highstreets.bristolphotofestival.org.
Note all the images in this article show previous work by the photographers engaged in the project.
Bristol Photo Festival will return in Autumn 2024.
Main photo: Lua Ribeira
Read more: Bristol Photo Festival’s Autumn Showcase
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