Visual indexes for this photographer are available for subscribers.There is so much more to explore when you subscribe. Subscriptions
Bye Bye Baby These portraits deal with the way young boys and girls interpret their understanding of masculinity and femininity within the milieu of our society today. Having left the purity of their childhood worlds, they seem to take on the trappings attributed to the grown ups they mimic. The way they interact with the world around them in a purely physical sense, as well as in a social and psychological one, has been of continuing interest to me. (Michelle Sank, September 2007) Teenagers Belfast These portraits are from a series called which was commissioned by Belfast Exposed Gallery, Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2005. The remit was to empower these teenagers with a sense of individuality and to locate them within environments that bear no reference to the political struggles or past emblems of this. I wanted to portray these young people as normal teenagers, positive symbols of a new and developing society although still showing signs of a specific culture in the dress, the buildings, the light, the landscapes. (Michelle Sank, September 2007) Into the Arms of Babes England has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Europe and this statistic continues to be a growing concern in our society today. In this project I am exploring the current phenomenon of teenage mothers, and in some cases, teenage parents. Essentially these young carers feel like children themselves, and it is this vulnerability that I hope to convey in the images. I am also interested in showing the relationship and bonding that can, and does exist, between young parent and child. Finally I hope to reveal the dynamics that are apparent between the mother, her partner and the extended family. (Michelle Sank, September 2007) Young Carers These images are from a project about Young Carers, children under the age of 18 who are often the main carers for a sick parent or sibling. In addition to performing daily household tasks like washing, bathing, cooking and shopping, they also have to cope with the additional pressure of school. Because they are different, they are often exposed to bullying from schoolmates and as a result lack a sense of identity as an individual in their own right. With these portraits, I wanted to empower these young people with a sense of their own identity and normality. I wanted to remove them from their home environment and place them with ‘light’ and outside spaces. By getting them to dress in something they chose and to be themselves, I think for that moment in time they felt special, grounded and free. (Michelle Sank, 2007) Endgame These portraits were undertaken at a rehabilitation centre for adolescent boys who have offended and/or been in prison. During the photographic process a dialogue was established which created a sense of trust on both sides. This enabled them to express their individuality, something that has been denied to them most of their lives and thereafter in prison. (Michelle Sank, September 2007) Celestial Echoes These portraits deal with the way young boys and girls interpret their understanding of masculinity and femininity within the milieu of our society today. Having left the purity of their childhood worlds, they seem to take on the trappings attributed to the grown ups they mimic. The way they interact with the world around them in a purely physical sense, as well as in a social and psychological one, has been of continuing interest to me. (Michelle Sank, September 2007) Education University of Plymouth, Part-time photography tutor De Montfort University, Leicester, U.K, M.A Photography University of Cape Town, South Africa, B.A Fine Art Residencies 2007 Sirius Arts Centre, Cork, Ireland 2007 Mannheim Photographic Festival, Mannheim, Germany 2006 Open Eye Gallery Liverpool, UK 2005 Belfast Exposed Gallery, Belfast, Northern Ireland 2004 Ffotogallery, Cardiff, Wales Solo exhibitions 2007 Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool 2007 Kunsthalle, Mannheim, Germany 2006 Centro de la Imagen, Mexico City 2006 SSRobin Gallery, London 2005 Belfast Exposed Gallery, Belfast, Northern Ireland 2005 Azcapotzalko Centro Museum, Mexico 2004 Kakenhallen Gallery, Mariehamn, Finland 2004 Photogallery Peri, Turku, Finland 2004 Houston Centre of Photography, Houston, Texas 2003 The Emerging Self, The Guildhall, Gloucester, England 2003 The Emerging Self, Lauderdale House, London, England 2003 "Adonis", Trace gallery, Dorset, England 2002 Phoenix Gallery, Exeter, Devon, England 2001 Image Gallery, Bedford, England 1999 Phoenix Arts Centre, Exeter, Devon, England Group exhibitions 2008 Discoveries Show, Fotofest, Houston, U.S.A 2007 Ronmandos Gallery, Amsterdam 2007 National Portrait Gallery, London 2007 Galerie les filles du calvaire, Brussels 2006 ART-Galerie, Siegen, Germany 2006 Hobart City Carnegie Gallery, Hobart, Australia 2006 Latrobe Regional Gallery, Morwell, Australia 2005 'Made in Britain', British Contemporary Photographers, Huis Marseilles, Amsterdam (Touring) 2005 Centre of Photography, Woodstock, New York 2005 Gallery 401, Philadelphia University of the Arts, U.S.A 2004 Benham Gallery, Seattle, U.S.A 2004 Hirschl Gallery, London (Trace Edition) 2004 Art, Age & Gender, The Corn Exchange, Newbury, England. 2004 Tom Blau Gallery, London 2004 Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate 2004 Monks Withycombe Gallery, Devon, UK 2004 Volkswagen Fotogallery, Fringe Club, Hong Kong 2004 Lee-Ka Sing Gallery, Toronto 2004 Northwest Centre for Photography, Seattle, U.S.A 2004 On the Wall, London, UK 2004 Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, U.S.A 2004 Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney, Australia 2003 Photoespana, Madrid, Spain (Runner Up) 2003 Northwest Centre for Photography, Seattle, U.S.A (Honorary Mention) 2003 Center for Contemporary Art, USA (Honorary Mention) 2003 The Gables Gallery, Norwich, England (Michelle Sank & Gina Glover) 2003 Art, Age & Gender, Usher Gallery, Lincoln, England 2002 John Kobal Portrait Competition, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK 2002 The Castle Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa (Month of Photography) 2002 Art, Age + Gender, Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham, London, UK 2002 Eyepoppers, Gloucester City Galleries, UK 2002 Lauderdale House, Highgate London (Winner Annual Photographic exhibition) 2002 A Wealth in Common, Bury Museum & Art Gallery, Bury, Manchester, England. 2002 Blood Will Out, Stroud House Gallery, Stroud, England 2002 The Stilwerk, Berlin, Germany. Fotobild Berlin 2002 "Two of Us", L.A. Gallery, Frankfurt, Germany 2001 John Kobal Portrait Competition, National Portrait Gallery, London 2001 "5", The Workstation, Sheffield, England 2001 Immediate 2, The Site Gallery, Sheffield, England Awards 2007 Finalist for photographic portrait prize at The National Gallery, London 2004 European Award for Women Photographers: Shortlisted 2002, 2004 & 2006 Arts Council:South West Visual Arts Award Collections Alain Servais, Brussells Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas Woodstock Centre for Photography, Woodstock |