Dimbola

CJ Nox: The Beauty Of...
2025-06-16 10:00 - 2025-09-07 16:00 UTC
We are thrilled to currently have a display of beautiful prints by CJ Nox Photography in our shop. All for sale, starting from £55. Come and take a look!

“CJ Nox is a visual storyteller rooted in the natural rhythms and quiet beauty of the Isle of Wight. A lifelong creative with a background rich in varied experiences, CJ returned to the Island in search of a slower, more intentional way of seeing—and of living. Accompanied by his loyal dog Beans, he roams coastlines, forests, historic towns, and windswept cliffs, capturing fleeting moments that many pass by unnoticed.

His exhibition, The Beauty Of…, reflects his core philosophy: that beauty is not a fixed destination, but something shifting, personal, and ever-present in our daily surroundings. Whether through the geometry of local architecture, the softness of evening light across the Solent, or the wild stillness of a forgotten woodland path, CJ’s work invites us to pause, reframe, and look again.

As a photographer and video creator, CJ blends artistic observation with a deep sense of place. His vlogs explore not just locations, but the stories, atmospheres, and emotions behind each frame. He encourages viewers and visitors alike to rediscover the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary—and to embrace the power of quiet moments.

Through both lens and life, CJ Nox offers a gentle reminder: the world is always waiting to be seen anew.”

cjnoxphotography.com

Sheila Rock: Punk +
2025-05-25 10:00 - 2025-09-07 16:00
We are proud to present PUNK + a compelling exhibition showcasing a retrospective by acclaimed photographer Sheila Rock. From the raw energy of 1970s punk, with iconic images of The Clash, Siouxsie Sioux, and Billy Idol, to the polished pop aesthetics of the 1980s music scene. Also accompanying the exhibition are a selection of photographic portraits from the series entitled Tough and Tender, that were made in seaside towns around England. Although initially interested in the aesthetics of seascapes when starting on this series, Rock’s dignified and stoic portraits reflect a quiet politics, documenting subjects and environments on the economic margins of the early 21st Century.
Sheila Rock came to the UK from America in 1970, and began a series of successful careers; firstly as a primary documenter of the punk era, then as a successful commercial photographer in advertising and editorial and more recently as the author of photographic books featuring works of her own private passions. The Face magazine launched her career, and she later contributed to a variety of diverse titles including German Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Architectural Digest, Sunday Times, Telegraph Magazine, Brides, Time Magazine and Rolling Stone Magazine. Her book PUNK +, published in 2013, is a document of the London 1970s punk scene that was also accompanied by a series of exhibitions in London, Paris and Berlin and later, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. Her book Tough & Tender is a delicate and sensitive report from the English seaside and 80s SOUND AND VISION published in 2022 is an overview of youth culture in the 80s featuring photographs from her days shooting for THE FACE magazine.
Her books Tough & Tender, Young Punks and 80s Sounds and Vision will be available to purchase from the Dimbola gift shop. A selection of prints will also be available to purchase.
sheilarock.com
Instagram
The exhibition runs until the 7th September.

Kathleen Holloway: Sea Change
2025-05-25 10:00 - 2025-09-07 16:00
Kathleen Holloway is a multi-genre photographer whose images range from street photography, still life, and photo abstractions. She has studied at The International Center of Photography and Penumbra Foundation, both in New York City, as well as The Art Institute of Seattle in Washington state.
After graduating, she pursued a career as a photo editor in publishing and the entertainment industry. With an over 20 year career of hiring photographers, producing photo shoots and as a retoucher, Kathleen has moved on to the next phase of her career, showing her own work. Recent solo exhibitions include Gallery 178 and The Dyckman Farmhouse Museum in 2023 both in Manhattan. Her work was also featured in NoMAA Women in the Heights: Dress at the NoMAA Gallery, New York, was a selection for the 19th National Photography Competition at Fotofoto Gallery, in Huntington, NY, and featured in the 20th Julia Margaret Cameron Awards for Women in Photography held at FotoNostrum Mediterranean House of Photography, in Barcelona, Spain. She is also a member of Soho Photo Gallery in New York City.
“I’ve always had a love for art and photography, since my father taught me the basics on his Pentax K1000 when I was a child. His experience and passion as a commercial artist encouraged me as I took my first steps to becoming a photographer.
Over the last few years I have started experimenting with panoramic 35mm and medium format film photography and exploring historical printing techniques like cyanotype and platinum/palladium. I am continually interested in learning new ways to capture the world around us.”
Sea Change is a personal photo project inspired by her father-in-law’s love of sailing and his struggle with dementia. Photographing nautical items like fishing nets, stony beaches, and weathered ropes from around the shores of Britain, she reflects each frame back to itself to reimagine patterns, textures, and colours making the familiar seem unfamiliar.

Poetry & Jazz Cafe at Dimbola
2025-04-24 16:00 - 18:00
Join us on Thursday 24th April at 4pm for toe-tapping jazz with JC Jazz in the Tearoom,then for some poetry & more music withLydia Fulleylove, Barry Smith & Chris Hardyplus Paul Armfield in the Olympus Gallery at 5pm!
Why not treat yourself to some of our delicious cakes& scones available from the tearoom.
Suggested donation of £4 to support the museum’s workCharity No. 1026339 Julia Margaret Cameron Trust

Wet Plate Collodion Photography Workshop
2025-03-15 - 2025-03-16
As the historic home of Julia Margaret Cameron, we are thrilled to offer a unique opportunity to experience the magic of the Wet Plate Collodion process. Join us as we step back in time and explore this captivating 19th-century photographic technique, the very one mastered by Cameron herself.

Award-winning photographer Dave Shrimpton (Portrait of Britain winner) will be your guide, demonstrating the intricacies of wet plate collodion right here in this home of creative portraiture. This is a chance not only to witness this incredible process first hand, but also, time permitting, to be one of the sitters for the wet plate collodion portraits, captured using the same methods employed by the photographic pioneers.
March 15th Demo day: £99 pp
Time: 9:30am-5pm
During this fascinating demonstration, you will:

Explore the History: Delve into the rich history of wet plate collodion and examine original examples of this remarkable technique, understanding its impact on the world of photography.
Prioritise Safety: Health and safety briefing, covering all aspects of working with the chemicals and equipment involved.
Discover the Equipment: Get acquainted with the cameras and lenses used in the process, understanding their role in creating these unique images.
Witness Darkroom Magic: Observe the intricacies of mixing the chemistry and preparing the plates in the darkroom, including the crucial steps of pouring and sensitising.
Capture the Light: See how plates are loaded and exposed using natural window light, a technique favoured by Julia Margaret Cameron herself.
Explore Different Plates: Witness demonstrations using both glass ambrotype and tintype plates, showcasing the versatility of the process.
Observe Development: Watch the fascinating process of developing, fixing, and washing the plates, as the image emerges before your eyes.
The Finishing Touches: See how the plates are varnished, waxed, and finished to ensure they are archival and will last for generations.

March 16th Hands on Workshop: £295 pp
Time 9:30am-5pm
Spend the day creating beautiful portraits and still life in a way that only Wet Collodion can!
The workshop also includes:

History and original examples of this incredible 1850 Frederick Scott Archer process
Health/safety information and briefing
Introduction to my Wet-Plate studio cameras & lenses
Chemistry and darkroom tuition – pouring and sensitising your plates
Loading and exposing plates with both studio and natural light
Developing, fixing and washing your tintype and ambrotype plates
Varnishing/waxing and finishing your plates to make them archival for the next 150 years
Chemical maintenance and advice on how to start your own Wet Collodion journey

Prepare to be amazed as you step into the world of wet plate collodion and experience the alchemy of photography in the very place where it flourished in the 1860s.
Limited spaces available phone us on 01983 756814 to book now!
For more info on Dave Shrimpton click here
Watch his latest documentary on Wet Collodion

Learn: Studio Photography
2025-03-08 11:00 - 15:00
Learn: Studio Photography Workshop

Marco Sanges: One Step Closer
2025-02-01 - 2025-05-18
1st February – 18th May 2025
One Step Closer by photographer Marco Sanges marks his exhibitionary debut at Dimbola.
The exhibition is on display alongside the work by legendary photographer, Lee Miller. While their work stands eight decades apart, both Miller and Sanges hold unique balances in their prolific portfolios between stunning portraiture and capturing moments of extreme crisis.
On having his work displayed at Dimbola, Sanges expressed, “Creating this project was a deeply spiritual experience comprised of intense emotions that were as contrastingly dark and light as the portraits themselves. I am honoured to see this new work alongside Lee Miller’s, as our work runs in several parallels – both analogue photography with a similar language that emphasizes the noir beauty of black and white photography.”
One Step Closer uses the power of art and storytelling to enact change through an intimate series of portraits that capture paragons of film, theatre, music, and literature. Some of the project’s participants include Bob Geldof, Elizabeth McGovern, Jeremy Irons, Brian Cox, Gyles Brandreth, and Clare Balding. While resulting in dramatic, narrative-based imagery, the true aim of this initiative is to raise funds via auction for Under One Sky, a London-based not-for-profit charity to set up to support the homeless community.As Sanges’ subjects take one step closer to the camera, proceeds will help bring us all one step closer to ending homelessness.
Julian Bell, President of Dimbola, and Brian Hinton, the museum’s Director, have expressed great excitement for this display. Bell describes Sanges’ images as “…collaborations in which the subject and the artist lean in together – closer and closer – to visualise that flame of fantasy within. The results are by turns rapturous, hilarious and scary: often, of their nature, wildly melodramatic; in every case, imprinted with the uniqueness of the sitter.” Bell and Hinton specialise in curating the best work at Dimbola, maintaining the integrity and prestige of the museum’s catalogue to honour the memory of Julia Margaret Cameron, a Victorian photography pioneer and former resident of the museum’s site.
This collaborative exhibit runs until 18 May, 2025.

Lee Miller: Style is Strength
2025-02-01 - 2025-05-18
1st February – 18th May
Fashion photographer Lee Miller captured the essence of women for magazines such as British and American Vogue.Living in war time Britain, she turned her talents towards documenting the experience of women during the passage of World War II.On loan from Farley’s House, Miller’s post-war Sussex home, this exhibition shows wartime women as they have never been seen before.
Of the photographs in the collection, some evoke the urgency and resourcefulness of wartime Britain without being too explicit.In others, though, Miller does not disguise the wartime context of her work: defiantly, models pose in front of the destruction inflicted by the devastating bombing raids of the Blitz.
In her piece ‘Check Mate’, distributed in British Vogue in 1943, Miller drew attention to the difficulties of publishing colour photography in wartime. Through ‘Hats Assignment’, she urged the public to fight the war with fashion.
The Lee Miller collection on display at Dimbola until the 18th May showcases examples of her work from 1940-1944, demonstrating the attitudes of women during WWII. Brought together, Miller’s work will show how these women would not bow down to the harsh realities of war, striving instead to maintain their feminine strength with pride.

Greg Douglass at Dimbola 6th October!
2024-10-06 19:00 - 20:30
After last year’s totally sold out appearance as the top Californian rock guitarist Greg Douglass- a key member of The Steve Miller Band – is returning on Sunday 6th October for another “up close and intimate” gig.
Together with his superb U.K band Greg will be presenting an evening dedicated to The Steve Miller Band’s many hits. Greg co-wrote the hit “Jungle Love” which he performed on The Steve Miller Band’s “Book Of Dreams” album. It later re-surfaced on the “Steve Miller – Greatest Hits” 1974- 1978″ album – which has sold over FIFTEEN MILLION copies in the U.S.A. alone! Greg also contributed to songs on Steve Miller’s albums “Abracadabra” (including the title track-= a number one single) and “Living In The Twentieth Century“. Not surprisingly Greg and the rest of the band were inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio in 2016.
After “Abracadabra”, “The Joker” is probably the best known Steve Miller Band song, although “Rock’n Me’ topped the Charts, “Fly Like an Eagle” was a million-selling single which reached number two, “Jet Airliner” reached number eight, whilst “Take The Money and Run” was also a top ten hit.
Greg has also been a member of Van Morrison’s band, Janis Joplin’s band Big Brother & The Holding Company, The Jefferson Airplane offshoot Hot Tuna, and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Tom Fogerty’s band, toured with r & b legend Bo Diddley. As the guitarist with The Greg Kihn Band, he recorded their massive hit “Jeopardy”, which reached number two on the U.S charts – only held back by from the number one spot by Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”.
Greg will be playing lead guitar, fronting his very experienced U.K based band. Keyboard player Rob Beckinsale and bassist Steve Browning were members of the legendary San Francisco band It’s A Beautiful Day, and appeared at The Isle Of Wight Festival with them. Steve was also a member of The Pretty Things, together with Dick Taylor, the first bass player for The Rolling Stones. The “new boy” -drummer Chris Hughes – was a member of the Manfred Mann offshoot Deaf Boy Hugg & The Hearing Aids. Rob, Steve & Chris all members of Woodstock Festival legend Barry The “Fish Melton’s U.K band, who recently performed at Dimbola Museum & Galleries in July.
This is an intimate and “up close ” event with STRICTLY LIMITED availability – ‘first come first served.’
Doors open at 6.30.p.m. for 7 p.m start. Drinks will be available to purchase from the bar.
If you saw them last time, you know how good these guys are – tickets are just £13, very limited and on sale now.
Call us on 01983 756814 between 10am-4pm and pay card over the phone or pop in.
Don’t miss out – buy your tickets NOW as this one will sell out!!

Dave Shrimpton: Searching for Alice
2024-10-05 - 2025-01-01
Dave Shrimpton is a wet plate collodion photographer who uses vintage cameras to produce his art. He cites the work of Julia Margaret Cameron as his inspiration and says that upon viewing his first Cameron exhibition his “world changed for ever”.
This exhibition is entitled “Searching for Alice” and uses the image of Alice Liddell, photographed by and friend of Julia Margaret Cameron, as its point of departure. Being drawn into the world of Mrs Cameron through his own Muse, Catarina Correia, Dave’s work seeks to explore the results of the often unpredictable and unique wet collodion process.
He is thrilled to be displaying such a large body of his work in one place with many images not previously seen by a public audience. Dave will further follow in the creative footsteps of Mrs Cameron by photographing the current museum staff. The sitters for many of her iconic photographs were actually servants within the household staff at Dimbola. These priceless wet plates taken by Dave will form a further element to this already exciting and dynamic exhibition.

Past Exhibition: Dickens and His Friends
2024-09-17 08:00 - 17:00
Close up portraits of great men by Julia Margaret Cameron curated by her son, Henry Herschel Hay Cameron and friends of Charles Dickens.
Dickens and His Friends is a refreshed exhibition focussing on the friends of Charles Dickens and photographed by Julia Margaret Cameron. The selection was chosen to complement the exhibition Technicolour Dickens: The living image of Dickens, also showing here at Dimbola. Printed in large format, these images demonstrate Julia’s genius for photographing genius.
During her lifetime trailblazing photographer, Julia Margaret Cameron produced over 900 images. The range of her work was diverse from Pre-Raphaelite inspired tableaus to portraits. The images, many taken in her converted hen house on the Isle of Wight, were of leading Victorian stars: Tennyson, Herschel, Darwin, Browning and Carlyle.
Originally these images formed part of an exhibition curated by Julia’s son, Henry Herschel Hay Cameron and features one of Henry’s portraits, actor Henry Irving.
This first exhibition was inspired by a letter written to his mother by F D Maurice, the founder of Christian socialism, in which he praised her photographs of Alfred Lord Tennyson, saying, “Had we such portraits of Shakespeare and Milton, we should know more of their own selves.” Maurice had keenly seen the double-vision in Julia’s work, how she revealed not just a physical portrait but a spiritual narrative; a blended alchemy which provided insight into the subject’s very nature. Henry felt the truth of Maurice’s words and his edit of his mother’s work gives us an extraordinary insight into the singular and spiritual nature of Julia’s portraits. Julia sought to arrest much more than a facsimile, she conjured from the shadows and light an illuminated ‘other dimension, elevating photography into fine art. This process is best described in Julia’s own words:
“When I have had these men before my camera my whole soul has endeavoured to do its duty towards them in recording faithfully the greatness of the inner as well as the features of the outer man: The photograph thus taken has been almost the embodiment of a prayer.”
Dickens and His Friends captures the true essence of Julia’s portrait work where its composition, intimacy, lighting, exposure and styling was simply unlike anything seen before. In addition, her subjects were great thinkers, scientists and artists, as a result we have a body of astonishing images of exceptional people who have shaped our civilisation – many of whom were not only Dickens’ contemporaries, but also his friends too.

Mela Hilleard: At the Dining Room with Julia Margaret Cameron; Frames of time
2024-08-31 - 2025-01-01
The award-winning film director Mela Hilleard showcases her photographic work in the gift shop at Dimbola Museum & Galleries, home of the great Victorian photographer, Julia Margaret Cameron, who will be the inspiration for Mela’s next film. The exhibition is located in our gift shop and is free to view.
About the Artist:
Mela was born in Poland and her family was forcibly moved from Lviv, after WW2. She says, “I was raised on longing, for the lost paradise, for the time which does not exist seeking refuge in the world of art, at first theatre and later in photography and filmmaking.
I became interested in breaking conventions, thinking more in terms of poetry, always following my feelings and intuition. I like when things have their own unspoken history, imperfections, reflections, the crumbles of memories and dreams. Being like a collector of eternal appearance; light is beginning and end of everything to me – the inner light of every person, light in the room, light of the past moment, waiting for the light…
I am working now on developing a new project: ‘From life. Following in the footsteps of Julia Margaret Cameron’. Her life becomes a parallel story told through filmmaking and photographic eyes of mine inspired by her, in the 21st century, woven like separate strands of hair into one plait.”
melahilleard.com Contact: melahilleard@gmail.com

Dimbola Celebrates 30th Anniversary: A Milestone in Preserving Photographic Legacy JUNE 1ST 2024
2024-06-01
Originally the home of pioneering Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron, Dimbola Museum & Galleries stands as a testament to her groundbreaking contributions to the art form. Now, thirty years since its inception, we continue to honour Cameron’s legacy while expanding our reach to showcase diverse photographic works from around the world.
Established in 1994, we have become a beacon of artistic exploration and historical preservation, attracting visitors from around the globe. In our illustrious history, we have curated countless exhibitions, workshops, and events, fostering a vibrant community of artists, scholars, and enthusiasts alike. From the earliest days of photography to the cutting- edge innovations of today, we remain at the forefront of preserving photographic heritage and pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling.
“We are thrilled to commemorate thirty years of Dimbola Museum & Galleries,” says Dr Brian Hinton, Chair of the Julia Margaret Cameron Trust. “Since our founding, we have been dedicated to preserving the past, engaging with the present, and inspiring the future of photography. As we look ahead, we are excited to continue our mission of fostering creativity, curiosity, and connection through the power of images.”
To celebrate this historic milestone, We have planned a schedule of events during the day followed by an invitation-only evening party hosted by Jules Cameron, the Vice president of Dimbola, the great great great granddaughter of Julia Margaret Cameron, international DJ and comedian. Cocktails will be supplied by Mermaid Gin and the Isle of Wight Cocktail Company kindly staffed by expert mixologists from The Albion Hotel who will also provide canapés, a taste of their new hotel a short walk away. Jules Cameron will be doing a DJ set and is also curating a collection of arts from special guest artists, Lauren Baker, Diana Gomez and others.
Our main exhibition is by Lisen Stibeck, a contemporary Swedish photographic artist who shares unexpected parallels with Julia Margaret Cameron in their respective creative journeys. Born more than a century apart, these artists share an unwavering devotion to the craft, an exploration of the feminine experience, and the manifestation of dreamlike realities.
As we embark on our next chapter we invite visitors, supporters and patrons to join in celebrating thirty years of photographic excellence and innovation to honour the past and embrace the present, envisioning the limitless possibilities of the future through the lens of Dimbola.

Dimbola Celebrates 30th Anniversary: A Milestone in Preserving Photographic Legacy JUNE 1ST 2024
2024-06-01 - 2024-10-01
© Isle of Wight Festival

Originally the home of pioneering Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron, Dimbola Museum & Galleries stands as a testament to her groundbreaking contributions to the art form. Now, thirty years since its inception, we continue to honour Cameron’s legacy while expanding our reach to showcase diverse photographic works from around the world.
Established in 1994, we have become a beacon of artistic exploration and historical preservation, attracting visitors from around the globe. In our illustrious history, we have curated countless exhibitions, workshops, and events, fostering a vibrant community of artists, scholars, and enthusiasts alike. From the earliest days of photography to the cutting- edge innovations of today, we remain at the forefront of preserving photographic heritage and pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling.
“We are thrilled to commemorate thirty years of Dimbola Museum & Galleries,” says Dr Brian Hinton, Chair of the Julia Margaret Cameron Trust. “Since our founding, we have been dedicated to preserving the past, engaging with the present, and inspiring the future of photography. As we look ahead, we are excited to continue our mission of fostering creativity, curiosity, and connection through the power of images.”
To celebrate this historic milestone, We have planned a schedule of events during the day followed by an invitation-only evening party hosted by Jules Cameron, the Vice president of Dimbola, the great great great granddaughter of Julia Margaret Cameron, international DJ and comedian. Cocktails will be supplied by Mermaid Gin and the Isle of Wight Cocktail Company kindly staffed by expert mixologists from The Albion Hotel who will also provide canapés, a taste of their new hotel a short walk away. Jules Cameron will be doing a DJ set and is also curating a collection of arts from special guest artists, Lauren Baker, Diana Gomez and others.
Our main exhibition is by Lisen Stibeck, a contemporary Swedish photographic artist who shares unexpected parallels with Julia Margaret Cameron in their respective creative journeys. Born more than a century apart, these artists share an unwavering devotion to the craft, an exploration of the feminine experience, and the manifestation of dreamlike realities.
As we embark on our next chapter we invite visitors, supporters and patrons to join in celebrating thirty years of photographic excellence and innovation to honour the past and embrace the present, envisioning the limitless possibilities of the future through the lens of Dimbola.

Past Exhibition:Lisen Stibeck:Interwoven Visions
2024-05-25 - 2024-08-26
The Artistry of Julia Margaret Cameron and Lisen Stibeck in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Dimbola Museum & Galleries.
Within the mesmerising tapestry of Dimbola, the lives and craftsmanship of two extraordinary photographers connect, each guided by a unique blend of artistic expression. Julia Margaret Cameron, the iconic pioneer of 19th-century photography, and Lisen Stibeck, a contemporary Swedish photographic artist, find unexpected parallels in their creative journeys. Born more than a century apart, these artists share an unwavering devotion to the craft, an exploration of the feminine experience, and the manifestation of dreamlike realities.
Cameron, a groundbreaker during an era that reluctantly embraced both photography as an art form and women as serious artists, embarked on her photographic odyssey at the age of 48, gifted a camera by her daughter and son-in-law. Her photographic legacy has solidified her as one of the foremost portrait artists of all time, despite her late start.
In contrast, Stibeck’s journey presents a fascinating fusion of modern and traditional photographic techniques. She discovered photography while already enjoying a successful career as a jewellery designer. A fortuitous encounter with a book by Mary Ellen Mark ignited her passion, eventually leading to an enduring mentorship and friendship with the iconic documentary photographer herself.
“Showing Lisen Stibeck’s work – to tie in with our celebrations of Mrs Cameron’s 208th birthday, and with our own 30th anniversary of reopening the house – would be in tune both with the glorious past here, and with the future direction of art-based photography”, says Dr Brian Hinton, Executive Chair Julia Margaret Cameron Trust, Dimbola.
For both Cameron and Stibeck, the sentiment expressed by Cameron in Annals of My Glass House (penned in 1874 and published in 1889), still resonates profoundly: “I began with no knowledge of the art. I did not know where to place my dark box, how to focus my sitter, and my first picture I effaced to my consternation by rubbing my hand over the filmy side of the glass.” These artists, since their photographic beginnings, have endlessly captured images, oftentimes discarding countless negatives in pursuit of the perfect shot.
About the Artist:
Photographic Artist Lisen Stibeck works on long term projects. Her keen interest in teenage identity developed into her photo book “Daughters”, winning critical attention and international awards. More recently, her focus turned to the inner landscape of the psyche, opening up a world of dreams and archetypes as she delved into a form of magical realism. In her latest work, “Undertow”, her black and white imagery carries a suggestion of emerging narratives, at times evoking loss, grief and hope and her brilliant abstract color work is a celebration of life. Lisen Stibeck is based in Sweden and regularly spends time in Morocco and France.

Past Exhibition: Technicolour Dickens: The Living Image of Charles Dickens
2024-02-03
Our first new exhibition of 2024 begins with “Technicolour Dickens: The Living Image of Charles Dickens”, presenting Dickens’ story through the medium of Victorian photography, with each image brought to life in full technicolour – giving the exhibition its name!
The exhibition was originally commissioned to mark the 150th anniversary of his death in 2020 and was co-curated by The Charles Dickens Museum.
We are delighted to bring it to the Isle of Wight to coincide with it being 175 years since the publication of David Copperfield, partly written whilst the author was staying at Ventnor.
Using the pioneering world of this early artistry, Dickens was able to enhance his fame and reputation. In showcasing these works this collection will sit alongside the work of Julia Margaret Cameron, who although was not known to have met Dickens, there is a slight possibility that they met at Little Holland House soirées. However Julia did photograph many of his acquaintances such as Thomas Carlyle, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Anne Thackeray Ritchie and William Holman Hunt, to name a few.
A film by Jamie Langton will form part of the Dimbola exhibition entitled ‘Dickens Island’. During his time on the Isle of Wight, Dickens befriended Tennyson who became God father to Alfred Dickens, Charles and Catherine’s sixth child and was named after him.
Dr Brian Hinton MBE on the exhibition and Dickens/Cameron Connection:
Charles Dickens and Julia Margaret Cameron make, on the face of it, an odd pairing. His world view embraces the grotesque, the sentimental, and the humorous She celebrates beauty, the other worldly and the perfection of humanity And yet both in their different ways identified character, and made work that outlasts the centuries . He created a whole world of men and women, in all their aspects from grovelling to noble to laughable She created Platonic ideals of the mother, the thinker, the artist and the visionary, from her all too human subjects.
Dickens was older, and though he may well have met Julia at the Little Holland House Sunday afternoon gatherings, hosted by her sister Mrs Prinsep after she came to England in 1848, there is no record of their meeting on the Island. She certainly never photographed Dickens, though she did fellow novelists like Trollope, William Thackeray and his daughter Anne, and writers like Thomas Carlyle, Longfellow and – sadly now lost – Christina Rossetti
Dickens spent a brief holiday in Alum Bay, and a long summer in Bonchurch, erecting a power shower from the local stream, doing magic tricks, and writing part of David Copperfield
The link between novelist and photographer is a mutual friend, Alfred Tennyson. The future Poet Laureate visited the writers’ community, based around Punch magazine and the Revd White, which settled in Bonchurch. It was from here, with the young poet Edmund Peel, that Alfred shared a small boat saling round the Needles, and having landed was shown the then empty Farringford, which he soon moved into. It was there that his friend from Putney, Julia Margaret Cameron, spent many a happy visit, and Emily Tennyson found her the two newly built cottages which became Dimbola, and Julia’s home from 1860 until 11875
Dickens was inescapable over that period, not least because of the visual interpretations of his work by Cruickshank, Leech and others And the very photographic medium that Julia used, wet collodion, is the same that captured Dickens for eternity, now almost shockingly updated with skin tones from the novelist’s descendants, forms the basis of the Technicolour Dickens show.
We pair this with images of Dickens’ own circle of acquaintances and friends, photographed by Julia Margaret Cameron.
Technicolour Dickens was developed in 2020 by the Charles Dickens Museum, London, in collaboration with Oliver Clyde, with contributions from Dr Leon Litvack (Reader, School of Arts, English and Languages, Queen’s University, Belfast) and Dr Julian North (Associate Professor in Nineteenth-Century English Literature, University of Leicester).
The Charles Dickens Museum (Charity No 212172) is a fully accredited museum and is the leading centre for the study, appreciation and enjoyment of the life and work of Charles Dickens (1812-1870). The Grade I listed building at 48 Doughty Street is the only surviving family home of Dickens in London, and where he began married life, became established as a writer, and shot to international fame. Founded in 1925, the Museum holds the world’s most comprehensive collection of material relating to Dickens. With well over 100,000 items comprising furniture, personal effects, paintings, prints, photographs, letters, manuscripts, scrapbooks, rare editions, and legal & financial documents, the collection is significant for its breadth and depth, and allows us to explore the many facets of Dickens’s influence and legacy.

Past Exhibition:David Tunnicliffe: Images of An Antique Land
2023-09-23 - 2024-01-01
23rd September -31st December

Several times over the last few centuries, Egypt has exerted a special fascination for European travellers and audiences. It features in Biblical history, if not always in a flattering light. It was a major element of the Orientalist narrative, exotic and mysterious, and a primary location for international mass tourism of the modern era. It featured in both opera (most notably Verdi’s Aida) and trade (especially with the opening of the Suez Canal), and in the two World Wars and in the struggles of decolonization. In recent years, Egypt has become the archetype of active civil society in the Arab world.
In this exhibition, David Tunnicliffe’s photographs show the physicality and excitement of an Egypt that is both modern and also, without interruption, ancient. The images were captured over a span of four and a half years as David and his family embarked on a remarkable journey through the ancient land of Egypt. Throughout this period, David held the esteemed position of resident staff photographer for the Egypt Exploration Society. However, these diverse images go beyond his professional role, offering a glimpse into his everyday encounters. They vividly portray the essence of life, the ever-changing landscapes, the rich historical tapestry, and the vibrant culture of this enigmatic and biblical land.
“The selection for this exhibition was really hard to achieve,” David admits. “Without exaggeration I have tens of thousands of images of Egypt amassed over the four and a half years we lived there. “What I wanted to do was to show a side of Egypt that is seldom seen by the ‘tourist,’” he added. “I hope I have been successful!”
This exhibition runs until the 31st December.
The book and calendar will be available to buy in our gift shop.

Past Exhibition:Light Bends in Imaginary Gardens by Syd Buron
2023-09-23 - 2024-05-19
23rd September 2023 – 19th May 2024
Syd Buron (born in Birmingham, 1977) has followed a meandering path in the arts, with a consistent desire to fan the faint embers of magic that still smoulder in small patches of woodland trapped between farmers fields, hedgerows, misty coast lines, ancient trees and hollow ways (as well as junk shops, auction houses and art galleries).
Ever since moving to the Isle of Wight twenty years ago, Syd has sought out these magical embers. Exploring the island’s liminal spaces, where at certain times of the season and day, the veil seems thin and embers glow. Capturing nature at its most ethereal with his camera; and in the past year, taking his negatives into the darkroom, and creating pieces for this show – ‘Light Bends in Imaginary Gardens’. The first darkroom was achieved by blacking out and converting the caravan where he lives with his partner Molly in Atherfield (the island’s wild south west). Since last Spring, Syd was able to work with larger pieces using the fabulous darkroom in the basement here at Dimbola. The darkroom process he uses shares much in common with the process Julia Margaret Cameron would have used.

The pieces are made up of Syd’s collection of antique frames and mirrors. On which he paints a photo sensitive liquid emulsion and exposes negatives his photographs (some manipulated, as well as some found, vintage negatives) onto the coated surface. The mirrors are then developed and fixed in the darkroom, as you would a print. The resulting images have the quality of reflections on water – imaginary gardens existing behind the veil. Transient images, changing as the reflection changes when viewed from different angles, and changing as the ambient light changes at different times of season and day.
Some of the frames have been manipulated by Syd – fused with branches and root systems found on the island’s beaches and woodlands. Working in a converted old greenhouse on the farm where he lives, his audio companion in the workshop has often being Daisy Rickman’s incredible album ‘Donsya A’n Loryow’. As it was the soundtrack to the creation of many of the pieces, he reached out to Daisy who agreed to let it be the soundtrack to the exhibition. Unbeknownst to Syd, Daisy is also an artist and filmmaker and her film “Belisama” serendipitously felt like the missing piece in the show. Shot on location during Daisy’s travels through Cuba, Iceland, Venice and Cornwall in 2016, “the footage has been kept at it’s most natural state and no ‘special effects’ were applied during post production. All of what you see here is what was captured within the visual trinity of light, water, and in the camera’s eye”.
Syd would like to thank Molly for her support and patience, especially whilst living in a darkroom-caravan last Winter.
A price list of the pieces in the exhibition can be obtained from the front desk

Past Exhibition: The Isle of Wight: Its Places, People, and Literary Connections by John Bradshaw
2023-09-23 - 2024-01-01
This photographic exhibition explores some remarkable people, where they lived, and also the literary connections associated with their presence on the island. The people include Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at Osborne House, Julia Margaret Cameron at Dimbola, Alfred Lord Tennyson at Farringford and others. For the literary connections, quotations by Tennyson, Cameron, John Keats, Longfellow, W H Auden and others provide relevant links to the images. The wartime PLUTO project and Sir Winston Churchill’s tribute are also included, together with some infra-red landscape images with appropriate quotations.
All of the images have been produced digitally but include some ‘replicas’ of 19th century early printing techniques.
John R Bradshaw FRPS
www.johnbradshawphotography.co.uk

Past Exhibition: Experience The Isle of Wight Festival 2002-2023
2023-05-27 - 2023-09-17
© Isle of Wight Festival
27th May – 17th September 2023
Our summer show was a celebration of 21 years of the Isle of Wight Festival since it was relaunched by John Giddings in 2002.
This is the first ever retrospective exhibition of the Isle of Wight Festival that has featured great artists such as David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Amy Winehouse, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Pink, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul McCartney, Blondie and so many more.
Sponsored by Solo, Barclaycard, The Daisy Rich Trust, The Price is Wight, Wightlink, Briddlesford Farm, The Isle of Wight County Press, Signpost Express, Isle of Wight Distillery, Goddards Brewery and Wight Karting. ‘Experience – the Isle of Wight Festival 2002 to 2023’ will feature photographs from all years of the Isle of Wight Festival, along with atmospheric crowd shots from around the site – you might even spot yourselves!
John Giddings cleared out his IW Festival cupboard to bring a host of items to the exhibition, along with loaning photographs and footage since the Festival began – this is a real trip down memory lane! Dr Brian Hinton, Chairman of Dimbola, has built an extensive archive of the new Festival and many of these items will also feature in the exhibition, which will take you on a journey through several galleries at Dimbola.

“If you had told me in 2002 that we would still be doing it in 21 years, I would have laughed…” said John Giddings. “We managed to lose a million pounds in the first two years but broke even with The Who and David in 2004. Thankfully it has gone from strength-to-strength year after year and is now one of the top five UK festivals.
“I would never have done it if I hadn’t been there in 1970 – it was the Woodstock of Europe, bringing the island to a standstill with 600,000 people watching Jimi Hendrix, and then getting banned for 32 years…“Looking back on it, I think I had blind faith, people were talking behind my back asking how can you have a festival on an island you can only get to by boat. I believed that was one of the attractions -it is like going on holiday (and has the most sunshine in the uk…)
“Thanks to everyone who have helped create it over the years, and thanks to the people on the Isle of Wight for welcoming us…“I can sincerely say it is the best thing I have done in my career – long may it continue. “This exhibition is to celebrate what we have achieved, and to get some money for Dimbola – a cause close to my heart – enjoy!!”
Dr Brian Hinton MBE said: “Dimbola, which commemorates the 1970 Festival, held within sight and sound of the house, is so pleased and proud to celebrate 21 years and counting, of the revival of that earth-shattering event. Solo allows us to host a marquee every year on site showing the work of Julia Margaret Cameron, images from the Afton 1970 festival and the new Festival, which continue the spirit and good-natured character of the original event.”
The IW Festival 2002 to 2023
After a hiatus of 32 years, the IW Festival restarted as a one-day event in 2002, called ‘Rock Island’, and Robert Plant and The Charlatans topped the bill, playing to an audience of around 8,000. By 2003 the festival had grown to encompass Saturday and Sunday, starred Paul Weller and Bryan Adams, Starsailor and Counting Crows and the audience had almost doubled to 15,000.
In 2004 David Bowie headlined on the Sunday, with The Who on Saturday and Stereophonics on Friday – the three-day festival was born and 35,000 people attended. David Bowie played a stunning set – the last UK gig he ever played.
David Bowie ©IsleofWightFestival
Michael Stipe menaced the crowds with blue striped face, as the sun went down behind the stage on Sunday 2005. REM were supported by Snow Patrol, Travis and Roxy Music headlined on Saturday and Faithless and Razorlight on Friday, and around 50,000 people attended. Kidzone with loads of free kids’ activities appeared this year, run by Islander Liz Cooke, who also makes the colourful flags around the festival site.
Lou Reed refused to play Perfect Day on Sunday 2006 – an act that was later rectified by headliners Coldplay, joined by the entire crowd. Richard Ashcroft supported them, Foo Fighters and Primal Scream headlined Saturday and Prodigy and Placebo on Friday.
Buses ferried festival-goers to see the statue of Jimi Hendrix at Dimbola in Freshwater, commissioned by John Giddings to commemorate Jimi’s performance at the 1970 IW Festival held nearby. The Bandstand debuted, run by local music college Platform One, who now have their own stage every year and a contest called ‘Wight Noize’ – the winner gets to open the main stage on Sunday.
The Rolling Stones headlined on 2007 and over 60,000 people came to see Mick strutting down into the crowd on their ‘B Stage’ (which cost an extra £100k) and duetting with both Amy Winehouse and Paolo Nutini, both of whom played over the weekend. Keane supported the Stones, Muse and Kasabian headlined on Saturday and Snow Patrol and Groove Armada on Friday. The IW Festival deservedly won the ‘Outstanding Contribution to UK Festivals’ award for this year.
John Lydon ©IsleofWightFestival
It seemed to be punk year in 2008, with The Police and The Kooks on Sunday, The Sex Pistols and Ian Brown on Saturday and The Kaiser Chiefs and N.E.R.D. on Friday and this was the first year that The Big Top hosted music for campers on the Thursday night. The Kashmir Café made its debut, with local bands and beers, raising much needed funds for Quay Arts (Wet Leg played their first gig here).
Veteran rocker and superlative songwriter, Neil Young headlined on Sunday in 2009, supported by Pixies; Stereophonics and Razorlight played Saturday and Prodigy and Basement Jaxx on Friday.
P!nk twirled above the crowd on a trapeze strung across the auditorium before a blinding final set by Paul McCartney on Sunday 2010. On Friday the crowd went wild when Jay-Z was joined on stage by surprise guest Kanye West, and The Strokes and Blondie headlined Saturday. Kasabian and Beady Eye headlined Sunday in 2011, Foo Fighters and Pulp on Saturday and Kings of Leon and Kaiser Chiefs on Friday. Then in 2012 Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers headlined on Friday with Elbow, Pearl Jam and Biffy Clyro on Saturday; and on Sunday after NoelGallaghers’ High Flying Birds, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band rocked out Seaclose to close the festival.
The amazing Bon Jovi headlined Sunday 2013 following The Script; on Saturday it was The Killers and Bloc Party and on Friday Paul Weller followed by The Stone Roses. In 2014 The Red Hot Chili Peppers headlined on the Saturday following The Specials, Friday it was Calvin Harris and Biffy Clyro and Sunday was Kings of Leon and Suede.
John Giddings said that he cried when Fleetwood Mac confirmed as headliners for Sunday 2015, who turned down Glastonbury to play the Isle of Wight. They followed Paolo Nutini; Blur and Pharrell Williams went down a storm on Saturday and The Prodigy and The Black Keys headlined on Friday.
Status Quo played the Big Top on the Thursday night of 2016, Faithless and Stereophonics the main stage on Friday, with The Who and Richard Ashcroft on Saturday, and an outstanding performance from Queen and Adam Lambert closed the festival.
Apparently, John Giddings asked Rod Stewart why he’d never played the IW Festival and Rod said, “Nobody’s asked me.” “They have now,” replied John for the 2017 Festival. Razorlight played the Big Top on Thursday, David Guetta and Run-D.M.C Friday’s main stage, Arcade Fire and Catfish and the Bottlemen on Saturday, with Bastille on before Rod, who gave a stellar performance.
©IsleofWightFestival Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro
The Killers and the Manic Street Preachers headlined on Sunday 2018, Depeche Mode and Liam Gallagher on Saturday and Kasabian and The Script on Friday, with the Wombats in the
Big Top on Thursday. Wet, Wet, Wet played the Big Top on the Thursday of 2019, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds headlined the main stage on Friday, George Ezra and Fatboy Slim on Saturday and Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro last thing Sunday.
It was pandemic year in 2020, so no festival, and it was touch and go in 2021, but the team worked very hard behind the scenes to ensure that the festival went ahead in September. Many of the acts booked for 2020 played, with Scouting for Girls and Sophie Ellis-Bextor in the Big Top on Thursday, Liam Gallagher and Tom Jones on the main stage Friday, Snow Patrol and David Guetta on Saturday. Sunday was The Script, then headliners Duran Duran rounded off the night firing confetti canons and releasing huge beachballs into the crowd to ‘Rio’.
For 2022 the Happy Mondays entertained campers on Thursday in the Big Top, (and local band Wet Leg played there on Sunday), Lewis Capaldi and Madness headlined Friday’s main stage, Kasabian and Pete Tong provided party beats on Saturday and Rudimental and Muse closed the Festival on Sunday.
This year, superlative entertainer, Robbie Williams closed the main stage on Sunday, The Chemical Brothers followed by George Ezra got everyone dancing on Saturday night and Blondie and Pulp headlined on Friday.
Experience – the Isle of Wight Festival 2002 to 2023 runs until September 17th 2023. Limited edition prints and other merchandise are available from the museum shop or by emailing shop@dimbola.co.uk

Past Exhibition:Larry Ellis: A Retrospective
2023-02-11 - 2023-05-14
© Isle of Wight Festival

©Larry Ellis
11th February -14th May
Our first exhibition of 2023 is a Retrospective of Fleet Street legend Larry Ellis, which includes iconic images from big stars such as Catherine Zeta Jones, Cary Grant, Joan Collins, Johnny Depp, Tina Turner and more.
In 1963 Larry Ellis performed a dual role for the Express Newspaper group whereby he’d shoot celebrities for the Daily Express during the week and would then switch to sports coverage over the weekend for the Sunday Express – predominantly football, rugby, golf and cricket.
Throughout his career he covered a multitude of assignments all over the world, often touring with the stars themselves and accompanying performers such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones on their travels. Ellis was also assigned many film and television location shoots and during his time with the Daily Express covered a wide variety of movies including the James Bond films.
David White, vice chair of trustees at Dimbola, said: “Having worked freelance for Fleet Street newspapers myself, I became closely acquainted with Larry, having the privilege to be one of the photographers exhibiting in the 2019 exhibition. “Knowing the collection of images he had produced over the years, it was an obvious choice to arrange a one man retrospective show of his work.
Now in his 90s, after living in retirement on the Island, Ellis has recently moved to Surrey to be near his family. The last exhibition of his work appeared along with four other Fleet Street photographers at Dimbola in 2019. The exhibition runs until the 14th May.

Past Exhibition: IW County Press Camera Club BIG 50
2022-10-22 - 2023-01-01
© Isle of Wight Festival

22nd October 2022 – 1st January 2023
This exhibition showcased 50 shortlisted images from the IW County Press Camera Club competition. Entrants were requested to submit photographs taken on the island since 22nd July 2021. The IW County Press Camera club has over 1400 members. Anyone can join and share their photos of portraits, landscapes, wildlife shots and news pictures. Images may be used in the County Press and its respective publications, websites and social media channels. Join the facebook group here

Past Exhibition: Marilyn Stafford: A Life in Photography
2022-06-10 - 2022-10-10
© Isle of Wight Festival

Past Exhibition: Marilyn Stafford: A Life in Photography

10th June – 16th October 2022

Our summer show was a Retrospective of decades of archive photography by 96 year old Sussex photographer Marilyn Stafford.
The first ever retrospective exhibition of US born Sussex based photographer, Marilyn Stafford (b.1925), encompassing the most comprehensive display of the photographer’s work to date. Works came from an international archive spanning four decades, and included celebrity portraits, fashion shoots, street photography, humanitarian stories and newspaper reportage.
This exhibition, A Life in Photography provided a reflective and engaging look at a period of 20th century history through the photographer’s unique gaze. It featured many of the stories from her career, which remain untold, with images never seen before by the public and specially organised expanded content such as a film about Marilyn’s life and more. This special touring exhibition was curated by Nina Emett in collaboration with Stafford’s daughter Lina Clerke.
Marilyn Stafford’s photography career got off to a remarkable start when she was invited, as a young woman, to take stills of Albert Einstein. Since then, she has accumulated an eclectic body of work, spanning from 1948-1980, including further portraits of famous and influential figures such as Edith Piaf, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Mulk Raj Anand, Indira Gandhi, Albert Finney, Twiggy and Joanna Lumley. She has also photographed many ordinary people like the illiterate Sicilian peasant woman, Francesca Serio, who took the Mafia to trial for murdering her son.
Stafford also engaged in street photography, mainly in the 1950s, documenting the Parisian children of the Cité Lesage-Bullourde neighbourhood living in slum housing conditions as well as the bustling, and sometimes downtrodden, street life of Boulogne-Billancourt.
Stafford witnessed some significant, and sometimes turbulent, periods of modern social and political history – she photographed Algerian refugees in Tunisia fleeing the Algerian War of Independence in 1958 which gained her front page of the Observer; she captured Lebanon in the 1960s during a time of peace before civil war would ravage the country a decade later which was published by Saqi books; she created a unique and intimate documentary about Indira Gandhi, India’s first and only woman Prime Minister, during India’s intervention in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
Alongside her humanitarian focused photography, Stafford took advantage of opportunities open to her as a female photographer, including commissioned portraits and fashion runways for British, American and international newspapers and magazines, as well as co-running her own fashion photography agency. Her work has been included on magazine and newspaper front covers, including the Observer. In 2020, Stafford was awarded the Chairman’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the UK Picture Editors’ Guild.
“I think of myself as a storyteller, speaking through the lens of my camera. I have always endeavoured to find a way to bring awareness to the public eye, to tell stories that are socially relevant and to create change for the better. As a young, impressionable child of the 1930’s Great Depression in the US, I witnessed poverty-stricken people and early holocaust refugees coming to our door, selling everything from steel wool cleaning pads to fine embroidered linens. I also remember seeing Dorothea Lange’s powerful photographs of migrants fleeing the severe drought in the Dust Bowl states and I understood there and then how photography could make a difference. During my life I have lived through periods of extraordinary change and have been able to capture both trivial and momentous events of my time. I have been very fortunate during my life to have had good friends and also good luck along the way.”
Marilyn Stafford
“It has been a wonderful privilege and adventure to curate the exhibition ‘Marilyn Stafford – A Life in Photography’ and to compile/edit the accompanying retrospective book of the same name. At times, I truly felt like I was behind the lens with her, indulging in poignant vignettes of life from a bygone era – whether in the picturesque streets of 1950’s Paris, the Tunisian refugee camps of the Algerian War of Independence in 1958 or on Indira Gandhi’s speaking tour of India following her heroic intervention in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. I could see reminiscences in style from some of the greats of her time – a geometrically formed André Kertesz, a decisively caught Henri Cartier-Bresson, a painterly but photojournalistic Homai Vyarawalla. But mostly I could see Marilyn Stafford. The work reveals a devilish eye for detail, a curiosity to ‘pop the hood’ and look behind the scenes, a huge respect for form and structure, a penchant for humorous juxtaposition, an emotional connection to whoever lies beyond the shutter curtain, and there is always an intriguing storyline.” said Nina Emett Curator/Editor of Marilyn Stafford – A Life in Photography and Photographer/Director, FotoDocument
An accompanying retrospective book of her work Marilyn Stafford: A Life in Photography includes an essay by art critic Jennifer Higgie and a foreword by the late photojournalist Tom Stoddart.
Photos
© Marilyn Stafford Photography
Model having fun at the end of the fashion shoot, Ready-to-wear, Louvre, Paris, c1950.
Joanna Lumley with models backstage during the Jean Muir fashion show.
Mulk Raj Anand with a village victim of the Bangladesh Liberation War, Bangladesh, 1972.

Extras:
Listen here to Marilyn tell the story behind some of the featured photographs, and enjoy a Spotify soundtrack inspired by the display. It also features audio descriptions of five of the key photos that were in the exhibition.
WE ARE DEEPLY SADDENED BY THE NEWS OF MARILYN STAFFORD’S PASSING.
SHE PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY AT HOME ON 2nd JANUARY 2023 SURROUNDED BY LOVED ONES.
Marilyn Stafford
05.11.1925 – 02.01.2023

Past Exhibition: Creative Cross-Currents
2022-03-26 - 2022-06-05
© Isle of Wight Festival

Past Exhibition: Creative Cross-Currents

An evocative exhibition that brought together the work of 21st century visual artists, Jeremy Bear, Sunara Begum and Dunstan Perera, with that of the 19th century pioneering photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. Across the centuries and continents that reflected on the similarities in the way their different personal histories interweaved India, Sri Lanka and Britain and parallels in the way they worked and conveyed their ideas.Julia Margaret Cameron declared that her photographs should be regarded as art and in Creative Cross-Currents with India and Sri Lanka a selection of her rarely seen images made in Sri Lanka were included alongside paintings prints, films and an installation made specially for Dimbola by Jeremy Bear, Sunara Begam and Dunstan Perera, that used a variety of media and techniques.– some of which she might have chosen to try out if they had existed in her time.Jeremy Bear showcased over 20 paintings revealing the vibrant, urban life and creative spirit of the people observed by him on the streets of 21st century Kolkata and further afield.Sunara Begum presented a series of drypoint and carborundum monoprints inspired by visits to Kolkata and Sri Lanka, where she walked in the footstep of Julia Margaret Cameron. This meditative and atmospheric
work explored notions of identity and origin and drew upon Bengali creation myths.
Dunstan Perera grew up in Sri Lanka and moved to London as a young man. There and in the US he pursued a long career as a stills photographer in the film industry. A work assignment took him back to Sri Lanka and that journey, which built on a life-long passion for his country of birth and inspired the series of monoprints that were included in the exhibition. These were made using naturally occurring polymers for colour and a heliographic technique similar to that used in early photography.
Fewer than 30 photographs remain from those taken by Julia Margaret Cameron during the years she spent in Sri Lanka. Digitised versions of seven of those works in the collection of the National Museum of Science and Media in Bradford and in Dimbola’s own collection were included in the exhibition to demonstrate parallels and synergy between her work and that of the three present-day artists.
This film documents the exhibition and outreach activities of the Creative Cross-Currents with India and Sri Lanka project curated and organised by Griselda Bear and launched at the Dimbola Museum and Galleries, Isle of Wight in Spring 2022. The exhibition explores and reveals significant similarities in the lives and work of the three present-day artists, Jeremy Bear, Sunara Begum and Dunstan Perera, and the pioneering 19th century photographer Julia Margaret Cameron.

Mini Iconic Bowie – Terry O’Neill
2019-06-01 10:00 - 2028-12-31 16:00
Dimbola Museum & Galleries are honoured that Iconic Images have kindly agreed to loan us photographs of David Bowie taken by the late Terry O’Neil left over from our Iconic Bowie exhibition is 2019.
Over a 20-year period, O’Neill captured Bowie’s shapeshifting artistry better than just about anybody else.
O’Neill’s photographs have left such a lasting impression because he was able to demystify some of the 20th century’s biggest icons.
By the time O’Neill started shooting Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust tour in 1973, he was much a respected name in photography.
Currently exclusive to Dimbola in the UK, the limited editions images are available to purchase. For more information please email admin@dimbola.co.uk
