Radiohead help develop UCA graduate's venture
Radiohead are backing a new specialist arts project created by a graduate of the University for the Creative Arts (UCA).
Sebastian Edge, who graduated from UCA in 2009 with a distinction in MA Fine Art, worked with the band last year when he took the only publicity photograph for The King of Limbs album.
The world-famous group have recently worked with Sebastian to help him sell limited edition prints of the image to fund the North London Darkroom, which he has founded to safeguard traditional photography techniques.
The black and white image was captured on glass using 19th Century processing techniques and a large home-made camera which needs a three minute exposure.
Sebastian, who is also sessional tutor at UCA Maidstone, said: "The band have been with me every step of the way in how the print will be seen and distributed - they are really good to work with.
"It was a difficult choice to make because it doesn't feel right to cash in on someone else's success, nor does it help you in the long run, but it seemed like a really good way to make the most of a high-profile project and raise funds for a photography project that I really believe in.
The North London Darkroom, which is based on Milmead Road, Tottenham Hale, houses specialist equipment and materials for those interested in hand-made photographic and printing techniques. The unique community helps its members with print sales, book art and exhibitions.
Sebastian added: "The Darkroom is quite special, partly in its location, but also in what it boasts. There's a resurgence in analogue techniques, which the industry knows: Kodak's recent filing for bankruptcy, rained yet more doubt on the analogue arts, but later reports has shown that the film producing side of Kodak is making a healthy profit.
"Equipment donations from the National Gallery and Kings College University, will give members the ability to make museum-grade prints with either analogue equipment or the very latest high-spec computer software."
Sebastian was approached by Radiohead's Colin Greenwood who has an interest in analogue processes and also written papers for the V&A on 19th Century photography.
On 14 February 2011, a few days before The King of Limbs was due to be announced, Sebastian travelled to Oxfordshire where he spent several days at their studio and in local woodland to make the image.
"I've been experimenting with photographic methods for years and had made a large camera that I thought would be perfect for the shoot," Sebastian continued. "It uses 19th Century processing technique which captures the image on glass and requires up to a three minute exposure.
"The band were really excited about the photograph and got into the shoot. It was an interesting process as it soon became a conversation with the band, rather than just a few pictures. The nature of the long exposures means subjects willingly submit to my photographs, but for this one, you can see they moved their arms move - it was an interesting response.
"It was a privilege to work with Radiohead. They understood my process and methods and through working with them I have come to understand a little of theirs. I feel very lucky that they saw something in a few pictures on my website."
Sebastian remains coy about future projects with the band. He said: "Once the North London Darkroom is up and running, I hope to carry on with my work, but I will be visiting New York in March to meet with the band on their American tour, so watch this space. But right now I need a cup of tea."
For more on the North London Darkroom, visit www.londondarkroom.com.
For more information contact:
David Reilly, Press Officer, UCA
T: 01252 892939
E: dreilly@ucreative.ac.uk
