The work of Professor Paul Wenham-Clarke has been featured in an issue of The Photographer, the official magazine of the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP).
In the magazine’s first issue of 2023, Professor Wenham-Clarke and his recent exhibition – When Lives Collide – were the subject of an eight-page feature. Not to mention, the front cover.
Paul, a renowned photographer and Award Leader for MA Photography at Arts University Bournemouth, said:
“I make my work to engage with the public and raise awareness of serious issues and so it’s very rewarding when the photography community is also interested.
“Most professional photography we see is concerned with generating commerce, so I think it’s good to show that photography can still speak about vital aspects of our lives.”
The exhibition ran in January 2023 at London’s OXO Gallery, to mark the 30th anniversary of RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims.
It depicted the real-life horror of road collisions as described by those involved, raising awareness about the risks faced by road users on a daily basis. Over 30 road crash victims and bereaved families from the UK were featured.
“Through the photographs, and stories of the individuals photographed, we can look beyond statistics to the emotional consequences of this issue,” Paul explained.
“The victims’ voices are then heard in a way they wish for them to be heard, not censored by the media. For many of them, this was the first time this had happened.”
When Lives Collide 2023 was also a 20-year follow-on from Paul’s original exhibition held in 2002. At that time, the photographer worked with RoadPeace and its members over the course of two years to capture the images.
Launching at the OXO Gallery, the exhibition then toured the UK and abroad to spread further awareness.
For more information about RoadPeace and the support available visit their website.
