Not Long to Go Now...

The conference and exhibition are now fast-approaching - just under two weeks to go!! This week we have begun entering the final stages of preparations. The slideshow of SEAS archive images that I was working on last week has been tweaked to a very-nearly-complete stage, and we finalised the design for the bags for the conference packs that each delegate will receive, which have now been ordered!

We also met with the volunteers who will be working alongside us over the two days of the conference and the exhibition Private View to discuss roles and responsibilities and to have an initial run-through of the schedule.

Hayley Brown and myself will be initially stationed at the registration desk, to welcome each of you into the conference, make sure you each receive a conference pack and answer any questions you might have about the two days. If you have any questions or problems - we are your first port of call, so don't hesitate to ask!

Jason Pay and Steven Dyer are our roving photographers - they will be documenting the whole experience so we have a wonderfully comprehensive record of the two days, and of course they will also be on hand to answer any questions you might have.

 Last but not least is Natalie Granger, our exceptionally calm I.T. technician. For speakers and keynotes, Natalie is the person you'll want to see - she's in charge of making sure the vital presentation is where you need it when you need it - any technical problems and Natalie will be there to help.

Over the course of the two days you will get to know our faces and names - we're your first port of call for any questions, so make good use of us!!

Update on Preparations

I have been taking a break from framing this week, and instead have been working on creating a digital rotation of images from the archive in the form of a slideshow, which may be shown alongside the prints in the Beyond the View - Reframing the Sunbeam Photographic Collection exhibition.

In an attempt to identify categories and groupings within the images in the archive, my area of research has been focusing on "the worker", examining images that depict both the male and the female worker, and the (often stereotypical) differences between their work for the particular time-period. Many of the images also include glimpses into their working environment and aspects of daily-life.

I have been scouring the archive for these images and have found a surprising number - so many I have had to be quite selective about which I choose to include!

One of my favourite selected images depicting a
friendly-looking postman.

The conference and exhibition are now fast-approaching, so if you would like to become a delegate and have not already done so, book your place using the link below:

http://shop.canterbury.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&modid=1&deptid=37&catid=172&prodvarid=250

Exhibition Preparations: Discovering a Different Side of Sunbeam

This week I have been framing prints of some of the Sunbeam photographers themselves as they "worked" the Thanet coast. These images not only go some way towards documenting "the process" linked with the images in our archive, but also help to contextualise the images, showing some of the photographers at work and the seafront kiosk where the images could be purchased.

The to-do pile of prints, mounts and
some of the smaller frames.

Preparing image of Sunbeam photographer for framing.

Slowly getting through the pile...

Some of the finished frames ready to go.

On a slightly different note to the summery seaside images of children playing on the beach and eating ice-cream, I have also been framing selected Sunbeam reportage images. These demonstrate a side of the SEAS archive that is little-known and quite a contrast when juxtaposed with the stereotypical seaside portraits. In particular, the shell-shocked gaze of a blood-splattered casualty of a bus-crash is slightly disturbing and almost haunting for the viewer after looking at the images that are lighter in nature.

The conference and exhibition are now less than a month away, and preparations are now well-underway as we look towards July 10th and 11th. To book your place on the two-day conference, which includes an evening reception for the exhibition, click-through to:

http://shop.canterbury.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&modid=1&deptid=37&catid=172&prodvarid=250

Behind-The-Scenes in the Exhibition Staging Area...

Preparations are now in full-swing! This week I have been starting to frame up the prints for the Beyond the View - Reframing the Sunbeam Photographic Collection exhibition which will be held at the Sidney Cooper Gallery in Canterbury. I have to say, I now feel very familiar with the images that I have framed so far, having spent hours meticulously removing tiny specks of dust from the prints  and the glass which they will sit behind!

Mounting print before framing.

The (very long!) process of removing dust
from print and glass before placing in frame
and securing backboard.

Finished framed print!

Ready to be bubble-wrapped...

Framed prints protected and ready to
 have hanging fixings attached at
a later date.

The first day of the conference (July 10th) will also be held at the Sidney Cooper Gallery, where there will be an evening reception for the exhibition included within the day's programme, and in its second day (July 11th), the conference will move to the Turner Contemporary in Margate (transport between the two locations is provided). It promises to provide an exciting and rich area of debate and enquiry, exploring seaside photography both in historical and contemporary practice.

For more information, head over to the Beyond The View website here:

http://beyondtheview.org.uk/2014-conference-beyond-the-view-new-perspectives-on-seaside-photography/

or to book your place:

http://shop.canterbury.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&modid=1&deptid=37&catid=172&prodvarid=250

Hello!

I'm Alice and I'll be working behind-the-scenes with the SEAS team for the upcoming  conference and exhibition on the 10th and 11th July. You'll also see me about at the conference and exhibition along with the other friendly faces of the team - Karen, Nigel and Rob.

Until then I will be working on carefully framing up all of the wonderful images from the archives that will be on display at the exhibition as well as many other preparations in the extremely busy lead-up to the conference.

I'll be posting updates of our progress and behind-the-scenes photographs as we approach the 10th and 11th July, so keep checking back!