London College of Communication presents 'Changing Places' exhibition in collaboration with University of the Basque Country
- Written byChloe Murphy
- Published date 19 June 2023
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Building strong international connections is crucial to our work as a creative university. Global collaborations not only encourage us to share our skills in ways that spark new and exciting ideas, but also open opportunities for staff and students to immerse themselves in new environments, engage with new experiences, and bring powerful insights back home.
At London College of Communication (LCC), our ongoing partnership with University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) has enabled our Photography programme to build close relationships with fellow practitioners and communities across the island of Zorrotzaurre in Bilbao.
In 2022, a postgraduate springboard study trip between the two universities considered the ways in which existing communities and community memory can contribute to contemporary storytelling practice.
This was then followed by an exhibition entitled Changing Places, which uses the work of emerging practitioners to interrogate Zorrotzaurre’s position as one of Europe’s most ambitious urban regeneration projects.
Changing Places
Developed across a series of visits between LCC and UPV/EHU, Changing Places harnesses the results of immersive workshops and contextual events that aimed to explore the experiences of the island’s diverse communities.
By acknowledging how rapid changes to cities impact on the lived experiences of their populations through both positive and negative nuanced issues, the resulting selection of work offers comparative and poignant parallels to contemporary lives in LCC’s home of Elephant and Castle, which has itself been undergoing decades of transformation.
Featured work from contributing artists Sara Aldaravi, Andrea Alvarez, Raquel F. Couto, Susana Diaz, Josu San Emeterio, Jessie Garcia, Clara Leton, Alba Matilla, Juan Pablo Ordunez-Mawatres and Pablo Otero considers the ways in which creative practitioners can confidently make meaningful work that is both in collaboration with - and respectful of - cultural groups and established communities.
Generated through the use of inclusion-focused and innovative participation methods, highlighted projects build on earlier dialogues created between the institutions to consider how existing communities and community memories can shape contemporary narrative practices.
"Taking my practice to the next level"
Changing Places was first exhibited in Bilbao before being re-curated at LCC by MA Photojournalism and Documentary Photography graduates, Rebeca Binda and Alexis Andreou.
Rebeca is a social documentary photographer and researcher whose work explores themes of environmental justice, women's stories and forced migration, while Alexis is documentary photographer and visual artist whose work explores contemporary matters of conflict aftermath and bordering practices.
Taking part in the cultural exchange has enabled them to further extend their photographic practice through experimental briefs and diversity in creative dialogue.
"I believe the experience has positively influenced and stimulated my practice - I had the opportunity to work on something new that doesn’t deal with the conventional attributes of post-conflict matters usually found in my work," said Alexis.
"This has led me to get inspired by the sociopolitical standing of Bilbao and Zorrotzaurre, and has also led the way for many future ideas and collaborations around the topic.
"The opportunity to be part of an inter-institutional and international collaboration such as this one will most definitely serve in taking my practice to the next level."
Creative Cities
LCC’s work with University of the Basque Country is supported by UAL’s Creative Cities initiative, which develops strategic partnerships by placing creative leadership at the centre of long-term regeneration, entrepreneurship and public engagement.
By building values-based opportunities that respond to both local and global challenges, Creative Cities encourages research and knowledge exchange activities that enable the University to enhance its position as a leader in creative education on the international stage.
Bilbao was named the University's first Creative City in 2019, and it's hoped that the existing cultural connection will continue to strengthen in ways that further encourage knowledge-sharing, empathy and creative collaboration within an increasingly globalised world.
Related links
- Learn more about the work of our Media School.
- Explore the work of our International Partnerships Team through LCC Global.
- Find out more about UAL's Creative Cities initiative.
