Documents from the Edges of Conflict
James Hockey Gallery, UCA Farnham
1 December 2021 – 25 February 2022 

Curated by Professor Jean Wainwright and Steffi Klenz

The international group exhibition Documents from the Edges of Conflict presents the work of artists who engage with society’s increasing desire to capture and disseminate images of conflict and tension in world events. Their subjects include the impact of political decisions and divisions; newspaper and media reports of traumatic events; contested boundaries and borders such as those between Mexico and the United States or Palestine and Israel, and the influence of aggressive world leaders on our histories and experiences.

The lens-based work of the artists engages us with the various meanings of the word ‘document’ and creates new visual routes through a documentary field marked by the disappearance of its traditional models of representation. The belief that it is possible to present conflict in an objective manner has given way to new photographic and lens-based counter-stories, or at least different versions of representation. In the face of global uncertainty, intolerance and polarization this exhibition presents artists seeking other ways of approaching conflict and dispute, through film and photography, to provide alternative and contemplative visual reactions and provocations. From presentations on screens, a lightbox, or photographic prints there is a provocative visual response to the consequences of our social and political histories.

The exhibition is at the James Hockey Gallery, UCA Farnham from 1 December 2021 – 25 February 2022 and is open from 10am – 5pm.

With thanks to the talented artists who contributed their work: George Barber, David Birkin, Mona Hatoum, Alfredo Jaar, kennardphillipps, Ori Gersht, MacDonaldStrand, Steffi Klenz, Paolo Pellegrin, Sarah Pickering, Wolfgang Tillmans, Santiago Sierra, Catherine Yass.

For more information visit the UCA website 

Image: Paolo Pellegrin, Paolo Pellegrin’s Tijuana – A Girl celebrating her Quinceanera along the US- Mexico Border Tijuana Mexico (2019) ©The artist. Courtesy of Michael Hoppen Gallery.