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24 September 2014

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'Morgue'

'Morgue'

Artistic decay

The latest exhibition at Tonic, the artspace in Leeds General Infirmary, features James Lester's images of a hidden, decayed industrial past.

Tonic is fast becoming the place to be to experience new and challenging art works - its aim is to use the arts to improve hospital environments and culture to inspire better
health and well-being in patients, staff and visitors.

The latest exhibition features the work of local photographer James Lester. James's photographs take us to real places in Leeds, places that we will never visit, places that are forgotten and neglected. Once bustling with human activity now only visited by decay and James.

The images show James' ability to use natural light sources with that special photographers eye. With viewpoints carefully chosen, each photograph is a unique record of Leeds as it was and, at the same time, as it is now.

'High Tea'

'High Tea'

James takes us through the inspiration behind two of the works on show:
'High Tea' - "During some of the worst flooding and heavy rain across Yorkshire in decades I took a trip around an abandoned factory of sorts. The rain was pouring down heavily with the clouds looking quite threatening outside the window. Water showered down through the floors making exploring far more dangerous than it usually is. The building obviously had seen some visitors in its time after its closure but elements still remain of the activities once performed in the rooms."

'Ascension To The Surface'

'Ascension To The Surface'

'Ascension To The Surface' - "A photo from a return visit to a location on my very first day of exploring. This was the basement of a church-cum-community hall. Sadly it is now a block of student flats (like everything else!). There was also a mural painted down here in the basement which left many questions unanswered and seems more and more unlikely that they ever will be."

'Steps Into Hidden Leeds' is at Tonic Gallery, Floor B, Leeds General Infirmary (Great George St entrance) until the end of February 2008.

last updated: 04/02/2008 at 17:13
created: 04/02/2008

You are in: Leeds > Entertainment > Visual Arts > Artistic decay



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