Melanie King
June 2022

I am pleased to announce ’Precious Metals’, my upcoming solo exhibition at Photofusion in Brixton, London.

Opening party Thursday 16 June, 6:30pm - 8.30pm.
Exhibition continues 17 June - 30 July.

There will also be an in-person caffenol film developing workshop and online seminar with special guests.

This exhibition considers the materiality of silver and palladium, from their production within the cosmos, extraction from Earth and their uses within our society. This project focuses on silver and palladium use in photography, suggesting methods of using the materials that are less harmful to the environment. This project was supported by Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants and my Patreon subscribers. A number of these works were created in collaboration with Dr Leah-Nani Alconcel at The University of Birmingham. With thanks to Mark Devereux Projects for his ongoing mentorship as part of this project.

Royal College of Art
Graduate Show 25-30 June 2022

I have been studying towards a practice-based PhD at the Royal College of Art since 2015. I am pleased to say that I will be exhibiting at the Royal College of Art Graduate Show from 25-30 June 2022, at the Battersea Campus. I will be exhibiting work from my “Ancient Light” series, which is the subject of my practice-based PhD. This exhibition will coincide with my Viva Voce.

Glacial Movements and the Ghaib
Lumen Studios, Pak Khawateen Painting Club
British Council

Pak Khawateen Painting Club and Lumen Studios (Lumen) are happy to announce a new collaborative project - Glacial Movements and the Ghaib - launching today as part of the British Council Pakistan-UK New Perspectives 2022 programme. The project was selected through an open call that awarded four grants to proposals co-developed between Pakistan and UK partners that offer opportunities for cross-cultural creative practices, knowledge exchange and new artistic work. 

Pak Khawateen Painting Club and Lumen will together develop new experimental art works based upon shared research activities and an expedition to the Gilgit Baltistan region. There they will work with indigenous communities and local experts to recognise the severe impact climate change has and will continue to have on indigenous people whilst considering themes of sustainable tourism and migration. The project builds upon Pak Khawateen Painting Club’s previous expeditions on the River Indus, supported by the Lahore Biennale 2020, Graham Foundation and Sharjah Art Foundation 2023. The two groups will exhibit artworks informed by the project in a series of exhibitions in Pakistan and the UK in late 2022.

Pakistan-UK New Perspectives 2022 programme has been launched to celebrate Pakistan’s 75th anniversary of Independence in 2022. The programme features projects addressing shared global challenges including but not limited to digital innovation, environmental sustainability, gender equality, diversity and inclusion principles, and empowering young leaders of the future.

Find out more: britishcouncil.pk/new-perspectives

Curating Climate Commission
super/collider x Signal Film and Media

super/collider have been commissioned by Signal Film and Media with Forestry England to co-produce a new artwork with local participants. Myself, Louise Beer and the local participants will explore our experiences of forest spaces. We’ll look into the different histories of Grizedale Forest and how it is being managed in the face of the climate crisis, with a series of visits between May and August 2022

Levels of Life
Photography Imaging and the Vertical Perspective

On 2nd July, I will be presenting my PhD research at the “Levels of Life” conference (online). This trans-disciplinary conference and exhibition investigates how images made on the vertical axis are encountered, interpreted, decoded, created and utilised, to explore the ways in which they have changed, or could change, the world. Book on the UAL website.

Seeing Stars

Until 30 July 2022, I am exhibiting “Ancient Light” at Seeing Stars“  The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery, Leeds University. 

We have had a long lasting fascination with outer space: from ancient civilisations who saw stories in the stars, to modern day technology bringing us closer than ever to the cosmos. This exhibition shines a light on contemporary artists who use and challenge the newest technologies for space imaging in their art practice. Modern science today gives us spectacular astronomical images. However, have these eclipsed the human imagination, which in the past led to tales of gods, monsters and more? The artists in this exhibition bring the human sense of wonder back into sharp focus – blurring the line between fact and fiction. Discover new contemporary artists, and ask yourself: what do you see when looking at the stars?

Exhibiting artists include Stella Baraklianou, Vija Celmins, Zachary Eastwood-Bloom, Hondartza Fraga, Lia Halloran, Mishka Henner, Julia F. Hill, Risa Horowitz, Melanie King, Mark Lascelles-Thornton, Paul Magee and Thomas Ruff. This exhibition is guest curated by Hondartza Fraga, a visual artist living in Leeds. She is currently studying a Practice-led PhD at the School of Design at the University of Leeds with an award from the White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities.

Lux et Libera Panel Discussion
Auckland Festival of Photography

On 25 June 2022, I will be participating in the Lux et Libera online panel discussion as part of Auckland Festival of Photography.The panel is organised by Dale Rio and is focused on women at the intersection of light and chemistry.

The panel will feature female-identifying artists working in film and alternative/historic process photography and whose work resonates with the festival theme “disruption.” These international artists disrupt the status quo of the art world, address concepts of disruption with their work, and embrace disruption of form and materiality. They represent a global movement of female photographers leading the way in alternative processes and experimenting with traditional techniques in new and exciting ways.

The discussion will take place via Zoom on Saturday, June 25th at 11am NZT (10pm UK, 5pm EST) and will include Dale Rio (USA), Anne Eder (USA), Rachel Guardiola (USA), Poppy Lekner (NZ/Aotearoa), Ella Morton (Canada), and myself. You can register on Dale’s website.

Upcoming Workshops

18 June 2022 - Meteorite Cyanotype Workshop, Arts In Ramsgate and Discovery Planet, Drop In.

03 July 2022 - Seaweed / Plant Based Developer, Land Art Agency. (Online) Book Here.

09 July 2022 - Cyanotype Wokshop. Bethlem Gallery. London. (In person). Book Here.

23 July 2022. Seaweed Film Developer. The Margate School (In person) Book Here.

Women To Watch
Alternative Processes

I have been included in Alternative Processes “7 Women to watch in Alternative Photography” blog post. You can read it here.

Recent Youtube Videos

Make A Simple Pinhole Camera
Solarcan Puck Review

Support Me

Here are a number of ways to support my work:

- Patreon 
- Ko-Fi 
- Visit my store
- Buy a limited edition print from Photofusion, as part of my “Precious Metals” exhibition.
- Visit the Land Art Collective shop to purchase artworks.
- Visit the Argentea Gallery website to purchase artworks.

Funds from my Patreon subscribers have been used to match-fund my “Precious Metals” solo exhibition at Photofusion, alongside Arts Council England. Patreon subscribers receive a monthly postcard, digital download and educational video content.