Dr Abigail Schoneboom and photographer Julian May launch photo exhibit at Newcastle City Library that provokes reflection on work-life boundaries.
People are working longer hours, yet many add an allotment to their busy schedule, with waiting lists of 30 years in parts of the UK. Dr Schoneboom’s research project looks at how and why allotments are intertwined with contemporary working lives. It reveals how allotments provide access to dilated, unstructured time; an opportunity to engage in physical, sensual labour; and a space to do work that is tangible, creative and self-directed: experiences that are valued and jealously guarded even in the face of extreme time scarcity. Allotments also help in the transition to retirement, providing a sense of productivity and community outside of paid employment.
Acknowledging the historic connection between allotments and working people, the study and exhibit are inspired by Humphrey Spender’s photos of Northumbrian pitmen on their allotments. Spender’s images simultaneously remind us of the harshness of mining culture and the resilient creativity it sparked.
The photographic part of the study, at two allotment sites in an affluent area of Newcastle Upon Tyne, drew on six months fieldwork at a family plot and 35 conversations on plots, which culminated in a three-day collaborative photo-shoot with photographer Julian May. Portraits focused away from the face protect anonymity while drawing our attention to the work of the body.
Alongside the exhibition, which took place in early June, Matty Hall , Funding Officer (Newcastle Allotments Working Group) and local Historian researched information related to the 1917 – 2017 Allotments Centenary and displayed some interesting historical materials related to allotments in Newcastle, which created a useful juxtaposition between gardening past and present.
…the study and exhibit are inspired by Humphrey Spender’s photos of Northumbrian pitmen on their allotments. Spender’s images simultaneously remind us of the harshness of mining culture and the resilient creativity it sparked.
For information on the project, contact: abigail.schoneboom@northumbria.ac.uk The exhibit was made possible by Newcastle Allotments Working Group and was facilitated by Allotment Officer Mark Todd. The project was originally made possible by pump prime funding from The York Management School. The exhibit was dedicated to Peter Horrocks.