Coming into Focus 

A new exhibition, showcasing three new Oxford photographers at The John Radcliffe Hospital
10 January 2011 to 2 April 2011, The Link Gallery, John Radcliffe Hospital

Sharon Boothroyd, John Cairns, and Lara Simmonds are the Oxford photographers of the exhibition “Coming into focus” that is shown at the Link Gallery in the John Radcliffe Hospital.
From different backgrounds, different in style and different in their subjects. What unites the three young photographers is a unique view, passion for their profession, and the high quality of their work.
In addition to featuring some of their works, the exhibition “Coming into focus” gives the visitor an insight in the back-story of the three artists.

Irish born Sharon Boothroyd, who is currently finishing her MA of Fine Art at London’s Westminster University, is rediscovering the charm of polaroids. In her series of individual photos, Sharon approached strangers in Paris, London, Wales and Oxford, asking if she could take their picture using a Polaroid camera. Then, after the image appeared, she inquired if the “subject” would have done something differently if they were the photographer. The answer? Yes, most of them would … and they wrote it straight on the photo. “My dog should have done a trick”, suggested a lady in Paris, “Can you photoshop off 20 years”, wrote an older man, “I’d get my feet it”, complained a girl. Have a look at the images, read the comments, and you can witness an intriguing dialogue.

John Cairns is a photographer who succeeded in turning his hobby photography into a business. He specialises in natural light portraits, spends most Saturdays capturing weddings and frequently works commercially.
At the Link Gallery he is showing his “Oxford Blue Boxing” shots. The Oxford Boxing event (Town against Gown, Oxford against Cambridge) is one of the most exciting evenings. John spent days in the training camp taking photos of Oxford students getting fit for the big fight. John captured the tense atmosphere before the big fight between the students and the professional trainer in the sparring ring. When the fight takes place in the glorious surround of the town hall, the images of the fighters are as much fun to watch as the high excitement of the audience.

Lara Simmonds’ photos resemble abstract paintings, with fascinating shapes, structures and colours – inspired by a secretive meaning. Lara creates these works by photographing selected objects and using the developing processes of the dark room and her intuition to encounter those beautiful results.
For this exhibition, Lara allows the viewer to have a glimpse in her darkroom, and to watch the different steps how those fine art photos are created.
Using discarded plastic items that are considered to be kitsch or in bad taste enables her to produce these abstract images that serve to elevate the previous lowly status of the object, thus transforming the ugly into the beautiful.

The exhibition programme has been developed to show the stories behind the art to reveal the processes by which artists create work and to encourage the viewer to explore more of Oxford’s exciting contemporary art scene.
There will be a new exhibition at the Link Gallery every three months. So if this is not your usual way to the hospital it’s worth making a special detour.
The exhibition is curated by the Art Consultancy Notfamousyet and supported by Oxford City Council.