old shed??

Exhibition by partially-sighted photographer Norman Taylor launches this Thursday at PLACE!

For Norman Taylor, the obsessive documentation of his own garden shed over a period of two-and-a-half years allows us to celebrate and enjoy the beauty of one of the most humble pieces of our built environment.

As his eyesight went into decline 5 years ago, Norman assumed his career as a photographer was over. His discovery of the digital camera was his way back in: it allowed him to see a large image of his subjects instantaneously, and to autofocus. The 1,300 or so images he took are a document of his experiences and senses: light and dark, shapes, colours, shades of colours and textures, atmosphere, feelings and moods.

The shed has changed over time to suit its uses. Holes for windows were cut out and replaced with glazing from an old caravan. The inside have gained new shelves as old ones became too full.

“The weather and all the seasons play a large part of this project. I have taken some very interesting atmospheric shots with the winter’s setting sun reflecting on frosted windows.”

Taylor’s collection of images encourages us to look around us at the houses we live in, the streets we walk down and the parts of our everyday environments that we often choose to ignore.

“It became an exercise in seeing, as the camera became my eyes. And I realised that it wasn’t just an ordinary shed that was in front of me, but a three metre squared work of art.”

Launch night: Thursday 1st April, 6-9pm (part of Late Night Art for April)
Continues Thursday 1st – Friday 30th April 2010