Bear Bare, curated and edited by Sarah Ainslie, is an exhibition by members and friends of the Gate Darkroom (Studio 0-03) who are working towards a publication and would like to invite you to the opening of their small work-in-progress exhibition in the Lounge.

Bear - to support, ‘to bear weight’, to endure
Bare - to uncover, an uncovered thing, without addition
Bare - (British slang) a lot of, very much, really

A photograph may bear witness to significant events that reflect and question the world and society in which we live, the bareness of a subject may be revealed through the lens. Abstract images made with alternative processes demonstrate photography at perhaps its most bare, whilst collaborations that merge painting or sound with photography bear radical artistic fruits.

For this work-in-progress show, nineteen artists are investigating these notions of “Bear/Bare”, bringing together diverse perspectives, interpretations and techniques as they explore memory, structures and representation of the world around them.

This exhibition is a half-way point, a chance to extend The Gate Darkroom’s collaborative approach to the viewer, with the aim of producing a publication of the same title and subject matter. Special thanks to Sarah Ainslie, exhibition curator, publication editor and inspiration instigator.

The Gate Darkroom is a not-for-profit communal photographic darkroom based at Thames Side Studios in Woolwich. It was founded by two aficionados 11 years ago in New Cross, moving to its present location in 2017. Besides providing a space and resources for its members to explore darkroom based photography, it seeks to foster a culture of creativity, inclusivity and dialogue.

For more information on the Gate Darkroom visit www.thegatedarkroom.co.uk

Thames-Side Studios Lounge is located on the second floor of Unit 0 and open to all studio holders and by appointment. For general Thames-Side Studios enquiries please email [email protected]