Blog #38 - Format Festival 2019

https://formatfestival.com/

Yesterday was the Format festival ad an absolutely amazing experience. So many phenomenal photographers shown in one space. Although once space is almost the entire city centre of Derby. Armed with a map of the city and locations where different artists work were, we walked all over the city taking in just how big the festival was and how many photographers and artists were presenting.

We startes as a group in The Quad and were shown work by Jack Latham. Given a small talk on his project. How and where he shot and a little bit on himself before opening the floor to questions.

Then a look around at the accompanying artists in the exhibition before spreading out and finding our own way around and seeing different works that could be an inspiration to either our professional practices or current body of work.

I was excited most to see what inspiration I could draw to put into my own work or works that spoke to a certain artistic side in me.

One artist I did enjoy seeing was Phillip Welding, who had come to seminar with us the previous week, His Work "Cutting Corners" was one of the more interesting pieces of work that caught my eye at the exhibition. The way he had installed it was fascinating to me as he had it bending around walls and set in a way that really made the viewer think and imagine.

Another artist I felt particularly inspired by was Vladimíra Kotra. Their book was one of the pieces I was drawn to. I looked and read it cover to cover, fascinated by the transexual subject matter and this persons honest battle with being intersex and transitioning into female. 

Once I started reading I couldn't put it down, the presentation was beautiful with translucent pages giving the viewer extra information, the images all adding together to form a story bigger than the book itself. I felt submerged in the narrative, really felt like I connected with the book on another level, which is what I suppose a book should do. Especially a photo book.

I went away from the festival feeling not only inspired but motivated. Seeing all these talented artist producing their work and having it shown on such a large scale left me wanting something similar in the future.

I didn't leave empty handed either, I snagged myself an off year photo book called Being/seeing, a collaborative book consisting of 5 artists with varying products that spoke to me. I also got my own tote bag from the official event. These items not only help me commemorate a great experience but help in research aspects for my current product and future ones.