Published on 27 June 2022
A University of Sunderland photographer is combining multiple passions as part of a national exhibition of sustainable work.
Marjolaine Ryley, Senior Lecturer in Photography, is among several high-profile artists whose work forms part of the ‘A Rose is a Rose is a Rose’ exhibition.
Her commitment to her art, the environment, and gardening culminates in a new piece of work now showing at Hestercombe Gallery in Taunton.
The overall exhibition brings together new projects by five artists that engage with gardens and landscapes as sites for practice and enquiry.
Marjolaine’s work explores the materiality of photography through experimentation with plants and sustainable practices, to raise awareness about the current extinction risk to plants and the beneficial effects of gardening for humans and the environment.
She said: “I grew up as the daughter of a jobbing gardener so always had a love of gardens and nature.
“After my children were born, I wanted them to experience being close to green things but as we had no garden, we got an allotment.
“This started a journey – you could say a love affair with plants, and I began to appreciate their importance for both our well-being and the challenges we face with the climate emergency.
“As an artist and lecturer in photography I began discovering that photography could work towards being sustainable. Through re-using and repairing camera’s, sharing resources communally and exploring the use of plant based-developers, plant-based emulsions and even plant-printing (eco-printing) I found there are many ways to ‘think and make’ a bit ‘greener’.
“As part of my research I started working with an artist led group called ‘the sustainable darkroom’ – they accepted me to be part of the ‘Photographic Garden Project’ where artists/photographers are exploring everything from plants for new plant-based photography processes, solar powered digital cameras and mushrooms that can eat plastic photo-paper amongst other things.
“Working towards making my practice and life gradually more sustainable is not easy but it brings me a sense of connection to plants and nature - and what I’ve learned to call more-than-human-worlds - and is an adventure of learning every-day. I no longer have an allotment, but I have a re-born back-yard (and back-lane) spilling over with edible plants, herbs and plants that are especially good for eco-printing. "
During the exhibition Marjolaine will also be sharing her knowledge of growing and eco-printing through a series of talks and workshops.
The exhibition runs until 23rd October 2022.
