50 Years Later - Feltham Arts

In November 2024, I worked with students at Riverside Academy, Feltham, introducing them to the photography of Dennis Morris. We began by exploring his iconic images of Southall from the 1970s, reflecting through flow writing and poetry, which students wrote and read aloud to one another.

From there, we turned to photography. Students first experimented with DSLR cameras, using them to sketch and develop their ideas. I then created the final portraits, guiding them to carry forward the emotions and themes from their writing and discussions. Inspired by Morris, we edited the portraits to pay homage to the look of 1970s film.

We also recreated some of Morris’ original images, giving them a modern twist. Students brought in personal possessions that held deep meaning to them, again echoing the treasured items photographed by Morris in the 1970s. This process resulted in a powerful new collection of portraits that bridged past and present.

The final works were exhibited in March–April 2024 at the Station Gallery, Feltham. Displayed outdoors on the main high street, the exhibition was highly visible and accessible to the whole community.

This Riverside Academy project acted as a pilot for the larger A Home from Home programme with Gunnersbury Park Museum, which later expanded into a major outdoor exhibition in Southall Park and collaborations with nine other community organisations.