A new map for a 21st Century Social Landscape
Dovetail’s A People Panorama reinvents the civic group portrait, but undercuts this history by involving the city’s population as a whole:-
‘ I have always been fascinated by panoramic photography because it shows us a view that exists but that we cannot see.’
Jan Chlebik, Photographer, A People Panorama
The group panorama art-form harks back to the days when people first wanted to photograph themselves in the environment they were in, to record themselves in history. More recently, they were used as civic portraits , as visual representations of traditional relationships of power and status within society.
In A People Panorama, individual portraits emerge in a collective landscape as people step forward to to be recorded in the act of being the population that is their city at a moment in its history, and often a key moment in that history.
This is not a Cartier-Bresson ‘ decisive moment’ - A People Panorama steps back from the way we usually take photographs now which is because there is something/an event happening – in A People Panorama, the photograph is the event.
The Preston Guild provided the perfect opportunity for the first 'A Peoples Panorama'.
Devised, directed and delivered A People Panorama for Preston Guild 2012. Engaged 3000 people, took over 115 panoramas, created a landmark contemporary art exhibition featuring the untold histories and stories of people and communities, put the city on the map with extensive regional and national media coverage.
By getting to know people and places, the People Panorama becomes a talking point and regular feature of everyday city life. What matters most is the relationships with people, partners, organisations – the panorama gets into the lifeblood of the city, bringing people together in a large scale experience that everyone is part of.
I am the curator of light that surrounds you,
When you die you will still be here - Captured.When you leave you will still be here - Caught.
Found lost in thought -Snapped.
- Lemn Sissay Preston People Panorama Poet and Official Poet of London Olympics 2012.
We are all equal in Natural Light - Shot.
Everyone is the art, everyone is the audience – for 3 ½ months the panorama packs the place out, the launch attracts hundreds, no-one is turned away because it is a city event starring ‘you, me, everyone and everywhere we know’. The national press swoop in to see what Preston has done, the photographs are a picture editor’s dream, and the stories from people who are in them, bring it all alive.
A collection of panoramas capturing their city at a key moment in its history, the pictures will be pored over and studied for years to come within permanent collection of the city’s art gallery. In twenty years time, the collection will be exhibited as part of the next Guild, something’s will have changed, others won’t, but a unique record of life in the city and its people have lasting meaning for Preston’s populations.
With big ideas like this, you need genuine and productive individuals and organisations on board – our expertise is in winning support, enthusiasm and commitment both hearts and minds, providing leadership in building the necessary funding package, and ensuring expansive and creative avenues of support.
Self-confessed panoramic obsessive, Jan Chlebik has been fascinated with the panorama art form since first coming across the format as a Fine Art student at Leeds School of Art. Over the years, Jan has built a personal collection of some of the oldest and rarest panoramas from all over the world.
He's been a working professional photographer and artist for 29 years, has won several awards – including from the Association of Photographers and the Roses Design Awards. His ‘Photographs of Manchester’ was published in 2004, and he has contributed to several other seminal Manchester publications. He has also shot a number of major national campaigns for big brand names which have taken him all over the world. Jan is based at Rogue Studios, Manchester.
‘What most interests me about A People Panorama is how I get to know people in the place where they are most comfortable – partly because of the way they look straight to camera I feel there is a very real mutual respect between us, we are equal in the moment, no gimmicks required, just me as I am, doing what I do and they as they are, and all of it going down in history.'
Find out more at www.janchlebik.co.uk
Our work is all about people, partnership and profile. Dovetail Originals bring our ideas, expertise and experience together with people and places, to release and realise our combined creative and learning ambitions. Dovetail grows organisations and individuals by engaging people, developing audiences and building partnerships.
‘We conceived A People Panorama because we saw its huge potential for creating a large scale work that everyone across the city is part of – the people’s panorama touches deeply on the past, present and future of the city and its people, provoking thought, dialogue and creating something of beauty and significance. ‘
‘Dovetail builds work in which equality, diversity and accessibility are not an add on – they are at the heart of unique and groundbreaking contemporary art, creativity and heritage’
Find out more at www.dovetailtogether.co.uk
