Peter Davies

Post Graduate diploma in Fine Art at University of Plymouth

BA (Hons) photography, Napier University in Edinburgh

B-TEC, photography at Hull College

Teaching

I am a postal tutor on the Photography 1: Art of Photography course run by the Open College of the Arts. I have also run several fanzine and DIY workshops at various educational venues and arts centres throughout the South West.

Work and personal background

Prior to re-entering full time education in 1997, I was previously employed in various jobs and learnt many skills. These included motorcycle mechanic, paint sprayer, painter and decorator, construction worker, maintenance technician, tree surgeon and landscape gardener. I also worked abroad in France, Belgium, Holland and Greece. During this period I was also a drummer in a number of bands, organised many local gigs, booked and managed European tours for several different groups. Since graduating I have been a freelance photographer, undertaking various commercial work and commissions. This has been supplemented with various part time work.

Since re-entering full time education in 1997 I have become passionately involved with photography, I have learnt and fine tuned many new skills within the subject. I am fully experienced with medium and large format cameras, both digital and analogue systems, and also various studio and location flash photography.

My work as a photographer: I am interested in documenting the situation, the human traces and response to specific sites. My photographic practice has a rhythmic consistency that forms an underlying narrative through all my projects. I also work from my own ‘doorstep’, as I believe the hardest and yet most revealing work comes from having a relationship with our immediate surroundings, as when the connection with the person or the place is made, then one can delve deeper beyond the surface. Through this process of revealing, the camera is able to capture the essence, an unguarded moment that shows the true sense of identity.

Selected exhibitions/awards/commissions

2008 Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery have just acquired one of my photographs, Paste Up#1, for their permanent collection.

2008 New Life shop, Berlin, Germany. Urban Space 2 as part of the Berlin Biennale.

2008 Battersea Arts centre, London. Blessings on the Meal, composition of soundtrack.

2007 Oi Futuro, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and New Life Shop, Berlin Germany. Simultaneous showing of ‘The Twinning Project’ in conjunction with the Urban Space Exhibition

Further Information

I am the joint artistic director/curator for onec, arts promoters and record label. Onec is dedicated to providing support enabling artists to produce and showcase new work, for a detailed archive of past events and exhibitions. We are currently establishing a record label as part of the ongoing activities of onec. The first releases will be available from autumn 2008.