A new exhibition is going to give more than 400 people in the West Midlands not only their fifteen minutes of fame – but the chance to take centre stage in the main hall of Walsall’s Garman Ryan Collection at the New Art Gallery.
Photographer Ming De Nasty (think about it) was commissioned by the gallery to take portraits of local people from Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Darlaston, Walsall and Willenhall throughout this summer – and the result is a giant wall hanging officially unveiled on October 4.
The project is supported by Walsall Council and the Arts Council of England and will provide a “visual snapshot” of the main towns and streets of the borough in 2007, said curator Ioannis Ioannou.
Ming has been working as a photographer since 1987, when she began shooting punk and Indie bands for local record labels.
Her studio Poseurs has been operating in Birmingham since 1989. She specialises in digital photography and works with companies, museums, galleries and local councils nationwide.
She is known for her humour and compassion in photographing her sitters and has the knack of bringing to the fore their individuality. Those who agreed to have their pictures taken will receive a portrait of themselves.
The giant montage reveals a diverse community of willing sitters, all posed cheerfully against a white background. Hats, dogs, dentistry and a copper squaring up to the lens are a few of the elements that help punctuate the role call of local life.
And they may all be strangers to us, but the immediacy of the portraiture means there is a familiarity about them all.
So, what do we learn about life in the West Midlands in 2007?
That girls wear their hair long and straight, headgear is cool, age is no barrier – and never work with dogs and children if you want to grab the spotlight.
That we are every creed and colour and we’re a good looking lot.
Oh, and is that Ricky Gervais in a Ramones T-shirt?
Go see for yourself.
A Thousand Faces runs from October 5 to February 17, 2008.
More information is available at artatwalsall.org.uk.
Sources:
http://web.staffs.ac.uk/cgi-bin/ariadne/show?artist=de_nasty_m
