Statement
Photography allows me to capture transient moments that may otherwise be missed and forgotten. I'm fascinated by its ability to communicate the poetics of life, the ebb and flow of existence.
As an instrument of inquiry, photography provides a space where I can reflect on the human condition and express my feelings about the world we live in. My long-form works allow me to explore ideas deeply: to obsess, to listen, to learn, to speak, and to breathe.
Seeking to make works that connect visually with my moods and the stories I convey, I employ varied photographic processes to create narratives that communicate my ideas. Previous artworks have covered themes such as belonging, isolation, transience, and loss. My most recent work raises questions regarding socio-political oppression, inequality, and vulnerability.
Through my art, I aim to forge connections and provoke thought, inviting viewers to reflect on the complexities of our shared human experience.
Biography
Richard Gosnold is a photographic artist based in Northern Ireland. He was shortlisted for the Unseen Photobook Award, Amsterdam in 2019, with his photobook dummy 'It Starts With Silence'. He holds an MFA from the Belfast School of Art, Ulster University.
His photographic work has been exhibited across Ireland and Europe, and is held in private collections.
Kehrer Verlag published his first photobook, ‘It Starts With Silence’, in 2021.
In 2020, as part of their TLP Editions series, the Library Project in Dublin published three printed volumes from his work 'Paradise Lost’.
In 2022 he was invited to join the Irish Photo Network, a new co-curated online platform from Photo Museum Ireland in partnership with Belfast Exposed Gallery, Belfast Photo Festival and Source Magazine. This initiative showcases contemporary photographic practices from the island of Ireland.
Passionate about storytelling through visual art, Gosnold organises regular photobook conversation groups designed to celebrate photobooks as physical, tangible works of art. He has chaired and presented photography related events in Belfast Exposed Gallery and for the Belfast Photo Festival. He authored and delivers a workshop, ‘How to Create a Photobook’, which is hosted by Belfast Exposed Gallery.
Contact : rigosnold@yahoo.co.uk
Exhibitions
2024 'It Starts With Silence', IMAGINÁRIA Festa do Fotolivro, São Paulo, Brazil
2023 ‘Secret Beach’, Working Artist Studios, Ballydehob, Ireland
2022 ‘In Our Own Image: Photography & the Social Gaze’, Photo Museum Ireland, Dublin
2022 ‘Contemporary Photography from Ireland’, Photo Ireland, Dublin Castle
2022 ‘It Starts With Silence’, Golden Thread Gallery Belfast
2021 ‘Love Art Buy Art’, Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast
2019 ‘Unseen’, Shortlisted Photobooks, Amsterdam
2018 ‘Project-or’, Estd, Belfast
2018 ‘Beyond View’, Belfast Exposed Gallery, Belfast
2017 ‘Selfie Society’, Estd, Belfast
2016 ‘Voices’, Photo Ireland Festival, Artbox, Dublin
2016 ‘Octo’, Ulster University MFA Show, Belfast
2015 ‘Sea Pool’, Remote Festival, An Grianan Theatre, Letterkenny
2015 ‘Recoil’, Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast
2014 ‘Heterotopia’, Homeplus, Belfast
2014 ‘Heterotopia’, The Red Barn Gallery, Belfast
2014 ‘End of Year Show’, SERC, Bangor Campus
2013 ‘Open House Festival’, The Hutch, Bangor, Co. Down
2013 ‘in lux’, Sync Space, Bangor, Co. Down
2013 ‘Homeward’, Belfast Fringe Festival, T13, Belfast
2013 ‘Palpable Noise’, SERC, Bangor Campus
2012 ‘Impact’, The Curve Gallery, Bangor, Co. Down
Publications / Features
2023 Irish Photo Network, ‘It Starts With Silence’
2018 Junior Press, ‘Voices’
2017 Source, 10 years of Graduate Photography Online, Top 150 Projects
2017 Abridged, ‘Too Much Contact, No More Feeling’
2017 Conker Magazine, Interview
2016 Photoworks Online, Showcase
2016 Source, Graduate Photography Online
2016 Irish Arts Review
Books
2023 Self Published, ‘Secret Beach’
2021 Kehrer Verlag, ‘It Starts With Silence’
2020 TLP Editions, ‘Paradise Lost Vol I, II, III’
Awards
2020 Arts Council Award, Support for the Individual Artist Programme, ‘It Starts With Silence’
2019 ‘Unseen’, Dummy Photobook Award, Shortlisted, Amsterdam, ‘It Starts With Silence’
2018 Arts Council Award, Support for the Individual Artist Programme, ‘Paradise Lost’
Commissioned Artist Talks
2024 Belfast Photo Festival, In conversation with artist Peter Pflűger
2023 Belfast Photo Festival ‘Photobook Conversations’
2022 Belfast Photo Festival ‘Photobook Conversations’
2022 Belfast Photo Festival, Panel Discussion, ‘A Bigger Picture: Photography Redefining Northern Ireland’
2021 Belfast Photo Festival ‘Photobook Conversations’
2021 Belfast Exposed Gallery, ‘Project Clean Sweep’, Artist Conversation with Dara McGrath
2021 Alliance for Choice, In conversation with writer Susan McKay, It Starts With Silence
2021 Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast, Love Art Buy Art
Photo Museum Ireland
I visited Photo Museum Ireland to sign some copies of 'It Starts With Silence'.
The signed books are available in the shop at Photo Museum Ireland.
Abridged 0-92: The Violet Hour
Abridged Magazine have selected images from 'Paradise Lost' to be paired with poetry from Gillian Craig, Xavi Khan, and Jane Robinson.
The organisers of the Irish Photo Network commissioned three writers to respond to curated works. Rebecca O'Dwyer wrote the essay for the 'Conflicting Spaces' segment, in which 'It Starts With Silence' was included. The essay can be read here.
Irish Photo Network
Work from 'It Starts With Silence' has been included in this new initiative, which launches at Photo Museum Ireland on 21st September 2022.
"Irish Photo Network is a new a co-curated online platform showcasing contemporary photographic practices from the island of Ireland. Join us for a free talk event with network partners Belfast Exposed, Source Magazine, Belfast Photo Festival and Photo Museum Ireland."
Photo Museum Ireland
A selection of work from 'It Starts With Silence' is included in 'Photography and the Social Gaze', which will be showing at Photo Museum Ireland from 22nd September to 5th November 2022.
"The latest chapter of Photo Museum Ireland’s year-long In Our Own Image exhibition programme, Photography & the Social Gaze, is a landmark survey that undertakes a critical reframing of the way Irish life has been represented through photography. Featuring work from over 30 Artists, the exhibition explores how photographers have used their medium to reflect on immense social change in Ireland over recent decades."
PhotoIreland 2022
Work from 'It Starts With Silence' will be on show during PhotoIreland.
Between 16:00-17:00 on Friday 15th July, I'll be showing a selection of recent work at The Printworks, and I'd love to speak with you if you're passing by.
'A Bigger Picture' - Panel Discusson
Wednesday, 15th June - 18:00 BST
I'm privileged to be joining Dr Clare Gallagher, Dr Emma Campbell and Anna Liesching - Curator of Art at Ulster Museum, in a discussion, which coincides with the exhibition at Golden Thread Gallery.
In conjunction with the Belfast Photo Festival and British Journal of Photography.
Follow this link for a recording of the talk 'A Bigger Picture'
The Telegraph
'It Starts With Silence' was included among the Best Photography from Ireland in 2021 for The Telegraph Digital Edition.
Selected by PhotoIreland.
Harper's Magazine
Harper’s Magazine published an essay by Professor Perri Klass:
‘When Children Die – Tragedies in the margins of history’
It’s a poignant account, which reflects upon the history of child loss, and the role of medical science in prolonging life forchildren.
The essay features historical artworks including a small photo, which I made, after Alenja was born – one of our memories.
The essay from Harper's Magazine can be read here.
26/05/21
Three years on and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission are back in court today. Fighting for reproductive healthcare in NI.
Politicians and lawyers remain fanatical in their desire for women to suffer instead of receiving compassionate healthcare in Northern Ireland.
Once again the burden falls upon "enormously brave women" to provide evidence in court to effect change.
Spread from 'It Starts With Silence'.
Photobook Release
The photobook 'It Starts With Silence' has arrived.
For more information about the book click here.
Zoom Event
25/03/21 - 18:30
Hosted by Emma Campbell and Alliance for Choice, I'll be speaking with writer, Susan McKay about my photobook, 'It Starts With Silence'.
Love Art Buy Art - Golden Thread Gallery
I'm showing this piece, at Golden Thread Gallery, alongside other local artists:
Lisa Allan, Lorraine Burrell, Catherine Davison, Gerry Gleason, Michelle McKeown, Lisa Malone, Mhairi Sutherland and Gary Shaw.
This initiative has been created to help artists during the Covid crises. Golden Thread Gallery has selected nine local artists to showcase their work.
Installation shots, provided by the gallery.
Click here to see more information about the show.
New Publications
The Library Project in Dublin produced these publications of 'Paradise Lost'.
They will be available soon, as part of their TLP Editions programme.
More details for these publications can be found here.
Funding Award For New Photobook
I have received an award from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, towards the production of a photobook for 'It Starts With Silence'.
This is a challenging body of work, with themes, which elicit deep emotions and the support from the Arts Council is a welcome endorsement.
TLP Editions - Publication
Images from my work 'Paradise Lost' are to be published in the TLP Editions collection of books, in 2020.
Each book is designed and published by the Library Project in Dublin.
Unseen Dummy Award, 2019
I have been shortlisted for 'Unseen' Book Award 2019, with my body of work 'It Starts With Silence'.
More details of the award and shortlisted artists can be seen here: https://amsterdam.unseenplatform.com/event/news/unseen-dummy-award-2019:-announcing-the-shortlist
Halftone Print Fair, Dublin
I have three images included in the Halftone Print Fair at The Library Project in Dublin.
The fair runs from 1st to 18th November, 2018.
There's lots of fabulous artwork on show, for more details click here: Halftone 2018
Funding for New Work
I have received funding, from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, for an experimental body of work, titled 'Paradise Lost'.
Watch this space for updates.
Issue 3 Launch at TLP, Dublin
Images from 'Voices' will be on display at The Library Project in Dublin to coincide with the launch of Issue 3, 'The Empathy Issue', of Junior Press Magazine.
Work Featured
A selection of images from 'Voices' feature in Issue 3, 'The Empathy Issue', of Junior Magazine.
Exhibition - 9th March > 21st April
I have work included in this group show, curated by Belfast Exposed, to celebrate 10 years of photography from Ulster University.
I will be showing work from my current research 'It Starts With Silence'.
Preview / Opening 8th March 6-9pm.
More information about the exhibition and the list of photographers showing can be seen here at BX Gallery
Source Magazine 10 years - Top 150 Graduate Projects
'Voices' was listed among the top 150 from the 4,879 graduate projects that Source Magazine has published online since 2007.
Follow the link to see the full list of 150 projects.
Showing Work
Work from 'Selfie Society' will be showing in Established Coffee as part of Belfast's 2017 Culture Night.
The work will be shown along with other members of Belfast Photo Factory.
Here in Belfast.
Photograph Featured
A photograph, from my 'Sea Pools' work, will be published in Abridged magazine issue 0-49 Babel.
Cooperative Membership
I will be joining the Belfast Photo Factory. A cooperative working from a studio in central Belfast.
Source Photographic Review - Graduate Photography Online
Work from 'Voices' included in the MFA graduate section.
Irish Arts Review
Work from 'Voices' featured on Irish Arts, 'New Generation Artists' website.
www.irishartsreview.com/new-generation-artist-work/richard-gosnold/
Exhibition at Artbox, Dublin
Exhibition Dates: July 8th-23rd. Preview, Friday, July 8th (6-8pm)
This exhibition marks the culmination of study for a group of MFA Photography Students at Ulster University’s Belfast School of Art. The photographs are part of a greater body of research that each student has completed for their final year project.
Artists: Aaron Dickson, Richard Gosnold, Dianne Whyte, Tim West, Dalyce Wilson, Katrina Taggart
This exhibition is part of the PhotoIreland festival, 2016.
Work on Show at The Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast
I will be showing images from my artwork, 'Recoil', at The Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast. The show will be running for two weeks from May 19th, 2015.