Presentation by Phil Cosker 3rd November 2016
Phil Cosker a previous dean of Hull College gave a presentation today about two photographic exhibitions he is curating at the college.
The smaller exhibition entitled “There’s Nothing There” along the bridge of the college is a series of black and white images done between 1989 and 1992 at Priory sidings (Currently Hull park and ride). These images were shot on 35mm and 120 film and are a narrative of an area of land that was due to change. They depicted how slowly but surely nature can reclaim land and gradually overgrow the detritus that had previously been fly tipped. Cosker explained that an acquaintance of his had commented on how the land had been left derelict and consequently it was empty, there was nothing there. Cosker argued quite logically that there must be something there you can’t say there is nothing because even a blade of grass or piece of discarded rubbish is something. He produced the images in way of demonstrating his point.
At first view, I was not over impressed with the shots but then having read the labels on the walls and having listened to his presentation I saw things in his eyes and understood fully and appreciated the meaning of the images.
In contrast his second exhibition in the reception area of the HSAD was entitled 100 snaps and was a celebration of his work over the last fifty years. At first as with the previous exhibition I was not initially impressed, they didn’t seem to present a theme and all I could think was that the photographer had some good images but a lot of uninteresting ones. When asked my thoughts by Mark my tutor I said I thought a lot of the images were rather meaningless but again with hindsight having listened to Phil I could read the pictures with more understanding and realise that one hundred pictures taken over such a wide time scale would not be likely to have a continues theme, rather a holistic view of one person’s passion.
One piece of advice from Phil was that if a person had ten thousand pounds to spend on equipment then only spend one thousand on a camera and the other nine on travelling the world and using it. Sage advice and in whole a brilliant presentation.
LawriePhoto 