I'm a British artist with an interest in expanded forms of evidence, simulation, and representation in the post-photography / post-truth era. Encompassing these interconnected themes, I have a diverse practice and work with a range of media, including photography, generative AI, text, and sourced, online material.
Bio
My interest in photography began when I trained to become an evidence photographer whilst serving in the British Army. With a tendency to gravitate around contested spaces (both physical and virtual), I've worked with a range of themes, including the commodification of contemporary conflict, Brexit, as well as the relationship between politics and personality in the post-truth era.
In the past few years, I've been researching and working with artificial intelligence in various photographic contexts, exploring and evaluating the monumental technical advancements, as well as the growing ethical concerns and implications we are currently witnessing with the mainstream adoption of increasingly powerful generative AI systems.
Selected Group & Solo Exhibitions
'Pixel Perceptions'
Group exhibition featuring Boris Eldagsen, Kate Crawford & Vladan Joler, Roope Rainisto, Synchrodogs, Philip Toledano, Joanna Zylinska, and others.
Curated by Wim Melis, Roosje Klap, and Rosa Wevers.
Akerk & Noorderlicht Studio, Groningen, The Netherlands (2024 - 2025)
'The Spectre of the People'
Group exhibition featuring Boris Mikhailov, Rafal Milach, Joan Fontcuberta and Pilar Rosado, MacDonaldStrand, Bani Abidi, Lauren Greenfield, DISNOVATION.ORG, Daniel Mayrit, and others. (Main exhibition, curated by Julian Stallabrass)
MOMus - Thessaloniki Museum of Photography, Greece
(2023 - 2024)
Winner of the Photolux Intarget Award, 2024
Group exhibition
Lucca, Italy (2024)
Solo Artist at festival hub and city centre locations.
Festival curated by Maja Dyrehauge Gregersen
Copenhagen, Denmark (2023 - 2024)
LensCulture: Portrait Awards 2024
'Official Portraits for a Post-Truth Era'
Projected at international photography festivals throughout the year. (2024)
Format 24: International Photography Festival
'Future Now'
Leicester & Derby, UK (2024)
Touring exhibition, showing at:
Royal Geographical Society, London, UK (2023)
5 forest locations across England (2023 - 2024)
The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall, UK (2024)
Sidney Nolan Trust, Herefordshire (2023)
Lishui Photography Culture Centre, China (2024)
Sune Jonsson Center for Documentary Photography @ Västerbottens Museum
'Super Sight - Seeing the World Through Technology'
Group exhibition, featuring Forensic Architecture, Stephanie Dinkins, Berenice Abbott, Kate Crawford & Vladan Joles, and others.
(Curated by Alexandra Ellis and Kerstin Hamilton)
Umea, Sweden (2023 - 2024)
Group exhibition of 'Finalist' and 'Longlist Artists'.
York Art Gallery, York, UK (2024)
Lishui Photography Festival
'AI Imagery Art Award Exhibition', curated by David Luo
Lishui, China (2023)
Outdoor Installation on WWII bunker, curated by Jenny Nordquist
Landskrona, Sweden (2023 - 2024)
Format International Photography Festival
'What Photography Can Be'
Derby, UK (2023)
Currents New Media: Art & Technology Festival
Santa Fe, USA (2023)
Winner of the 'AI Visual Storytelling' Open Call
ARoS Art Museum + Aarhus School of Architecture
Aarhus, Denmark (2023)
'AI/AI'
Group exhibition, curated by James Hutchinson
Priestman Gallery, Sunderland, UK + Online (2023 - 2024)
'Metamorphosis'
Group exhibition, featuring Daniel Meadows, Joanna Piotrowska, Heather Phillipson and others.
Ex-Libris Gallery,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, (2023)
'Gimme Shelter: Forts & Fictions in the Lowlands'
Group exhibition, featuring Jeremy Deller, Trevor Paglen, Omer Fast, Jean Luc Godard, and others.
Kunstfort Asperen & Kuntsfort bij VijFhuizen,
The Netherlands (2015)
'Evidence'
Group exhibition, featuring Larry Sultan and Mike Mandel, Lisa Barnard, Boris Eldagsen, Simon Norfolk, Sarah Pickering, Mishka Henner, Cristina De Middel, and others.
Derby, UK (2015)
'You are the Company in Which You Keep'
Group exhibition, featuring Martin Parr, Julian Germain, Paul Graham, Gilbert & George, John Stezaker, and others. (Curated by Alistair Robinson.)
Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art
Sunderland, UK (2013)
'Northern Ireland: 30 Years of Photography'
Group exhibition, featuring Paul Graham, Paul Seawright, Broomberg and Chanarin, Mark Power, Hannah Starkey, Martin Parr, Chris Steele-Perkins, Donovan Wylie, John Davies, and others.
Belfast Exposed and the MAC
Belfast, UK (2013)
'Nothing in the World But Youth'
Group exhibition, featuring Jeff Wall, Rineke Dijkstra, Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Sarah Lucas, Jeurgen Teller, Diane Arbus, Henri Cartier-Bresson, David Bowie, Richard Hamilton, Henry Moore, Ken Russell, Chris Killip, Ron Mueck, JMW Turner, August Sander,
Francesca Woodman, Mohamed Bourouissa, Don McCullin, and others.
Turner Contemporary
Margate, UK (2011 - 2012)
‘Made in Britain: Contemporary British Photography’
Group exhibition, featuring Clare Strand, Michelle Sank, Susan Derges, Nigel Shafran, Elaine Constantine, Christopher Bucklow, and others.
Huis Marseille and FOAM Institute
Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2005)
‘Left Right Left’ & ‘Tour Photographs’
Baltic: Centre for Contemporary Art
Gateshead, UK (2004)
'Year One: A Snapshot of Britain' (Curated by Martin Parr)
The Photographers' Gallery
London, UK (2001)
Publications
'European Photography: 114’
Published by Equivalence (2023)
'The Spectre of the People’
Published by Macedonia Press (2023)
'Format 23: What Photography Can Be’
Published by Quad (2023)
'Format 15: Evidence’
Published by Quad/Format (2015)
'de Marseillaise: Fifteen Years of Collecting’
Published by Huis Marseille (2014)
‘Northern Ireland: 30 Years of Photography'
Published by Belfast Exposed and the MAC (2013)
'Nothing in the World But Youth'
Published by Turner Contemporary Press (2011)
‘Made in Britain: Contemporary British Photography’
Published by Huis Marseille & FOAM Institute (2005)
'Left Right Left’
Published by PhotoNorth (2003)
Collections
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
Huis Marseille: Museum of Photography, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland, UK
Belfast Exposed, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
research is currently underway which is centred around artificial intelligence, machine learning and machine vision, as well as virtual and augmented realities and simulations.
Copenhagen Photo Festival, Denmark (2023)
Copenhagen Photo Festival, Denmark (2023 - 2024)
Landskrona Foto, Sweden (2023 - 2024)
Currents New Media: Arts & Technology Festival, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA (2023)
Credit: August Baldy
SJCD @ Västerbottens Museum,
Umea, Sweden (2023 - 2024)
Credit: Jakob Joelsonm
SJCD @ Västerbottens Museum,
Umea, Sweden (2023 - 2024)
Credit: Jakob Joelsonm
Thessaloniki PhotoBiennale
MOMus Museum of Photography
Thessaloniki, Greece (2023 - 2024)
Credit: MOMus
Contact
Working Towards a Greener Future
As part of a growing commitment to make my practice more environmentally sustainable, my digital studio is run on 100% renewable energy. Where possible, paper-based prints, tests, mock-ups and published books are made using recycled or FSC certified paper stocks and plant-based inks. I only source packaging that is made from recycled materials and is 100% recyclable.
In addition, I support the Woodland Trust's sustainable rewilding project and I'm also a member of the Marine Conservation Society.
For further info or to support their conservation work, please visit:
© Craig Ames 2024
All rights reserved