An Invisible Life in Pictures

‘The fifties were swinging! The sixties were a lot of fun…’
‘….all that has happened in the last fifteen years is technology.’

My subject, Terry, grew up on a dairy farm outside of Perth and worked as an iron boy for a hardware store. He was fifteen years old, delivering a door hinge to the Regal cinema in Auchterarder when he saw an advert projected through an old glass slide on to the cinema screen reading ‘Projectionist required’. It was 1956, Terry, still in school began his career as a film projectionist.

On Monday 12th of February, he ran his first film – ‘Man of the Moment’ starring Norman Wisdom; ‘The whole town knew me, you had to get it right or you’d end up with your balls in your mouth!’ His lasting memory is being ‘Away up with the Gods…’ with the smell of the machinery, ‘…the machines don’t smell so much of oil now though, it was different then’. World War two had ended and automated record players were invented; it was ‘A big brand new future for the world’ and Terry was to watch every flicker and flashing light of it. His career bounced him year to year through dark and enchanted projection room to the next, until finally settling in Dundee cinemas in 1975 until his retirement.

Although retired, Terry still returns to the projection room on a regular basis, he still smells the cutting and welding of old acetone film. Mostly he stays in his caravan where he has lived with his wife and hoards of film reels for the past 18 years…’I socialise only when I have to …here I can let the world slip by at its pace, I catch a tail from time to time’ Watching an old reel of ‘Cleopatra’ ‘…its not much of a story; but its beautiful to look at.’

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Chris Park works in the medium of photography, digital imaging and film; influenced by painterly devices, contemporary print, fashion, cinema and fine art photography.

Born 12th April 1983, Lisburn, Northern Ireland. At 19, Chris moved to Dundee to study Fine Art at Duncan of Jordanstone. After graduating in June 2006, he assisted a London based commercial photographer before embarking on the RSA John Kinross Scholarship to Florence.

Chris currently lives in Edinburgh and continues his art and commercial practice; working in Scotland, London, Paris, Dublin and wherever the next shoot is.

ARTIST RECORD

Publications –
• RSA John Kinross Scholars – May 07’

Printed Work –
• Buzz Magazine 2011
• VAS Annual Catalogue 2011
• Creative Review Photography Annual 09’
• Scottish Society for Art History promotional Press pick 07’
• Royal Scottish Academy annual student exhibition 06’ advertising
• Royal Scottish Academy annual professional exhibition 06’ advertising
• The List Magazine 06’
• Skinny Magazine April edition 06’

Awards –
• Shortlisted to photograph Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, May 10’
• The Sally Schofield Memorial Prize 10’
• RSA Keith Prize Award winner 06’
• RSA John Kinross Scholarship 06’

Work in public collections –
• ‘Grace’ 06’ Duncan of Jordanstone, Dundee
• ‘The Individual’ Duncan of Jordanstone, Dundee
• Florence Collection 06’ Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh

Exhibitions –
• Dualism: Portraits & Poems. Arbroath Gallery, Arbroath, 4th June – 2nd July 2011
• Hunted Projects: Tableaux Vivants, Bond No.9, Edinburgh, 21st April – 13th May 2011
• Dualism: Portraits & Poems. Montrose Museum, Montrose, 2nd April – 30th April 2011
• Hunted Projects, Hawke & Hunter, Edinburgh, 24th Feb – 19th March 2011
• Dualism: Portraits & Poems. Carnoustie Gallery, Carnoustie, 19th Feb – 19th March 2011
• SSA Annual Open, RSA, Edinburgh, 5th Feb – 3rd March 2011
• VAS Annual Open, RSA, Edinburgh, 5th Feb – 3rd March 2011
• Dualism: Portraits & Poems. Meffan Gallery, Forfar, 8th Jan – 5th Feb 2011
• 99 Hanover Projects – 17th June – 17th July 2010
• Visual Arts Scotland Annual Exhibition 19th Feb – 18th March 2010
• Society of Scottish Artists Annual Exhibition 19th Feb – 18th March 2010
• 99 Hanover Projects – Photography Show, 11th Feb – 18th March 2010
• 99 Hanover Projects – 3rd Dec – 14th Jan 2010
• Sierra Metro 9th Aug – 30th Aug 2009
• Lamb Gallery. "as it is when it was", 21st Mar – 13th June 2009. Curated by Julie Brown.
• Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition 2008
• Lower Foyer Gallery, Duncan of Jordanstone, Dundee. Four in Florence, 18th Jan – 9th Feb 2008
• Visual Arts Scotland Annual Exhibition 2007
• Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition 2006
• Royal Scottish Academy Student Exhibition 2006