UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 14 AUGUST
An inspiring new project showcasing the talents of Black Country sports people with disabilities has been developed by a Birmingham student.
The ‘Limitless’ project uses a collection of photographs to showcase an array of athletes from the region with disabilities, and has been created by Birmingham City University photography student Liam Pye.
The striking images take in a number of different sports including archery, football and swimming.
To capture the shots, Liam worked with several of the Black Country’s sports organisations including the West Bromwich Albion Foundation and Sandwell Visually Impaired.
Liam became inspired to showcase the athletes’ stories after watching the Paralympic Games and used his passion for representation to come up with the idea for the ‘Limitless’ project.
Liam said: “The inspiration for the ‘Limitless’ project came to me after seeing the Winter Paralympic Games this year and seeing their achievements in sport.
“I feel passionately about inclusion and representation for the disabled community and wanted to produce a series of photographs that send a positive message.
“I met with athletes during a national Para-sport tournament where I was given permission to photograph the games. I developed contacts and continued to work with them to produce the final portrait series.
“In the theme of inclusivity I also wanted to represent people in sport with learning disabilities. I had connections to the Special Olympics that support local swim sessions. I met with them and discussed the project aims and they were keen to collaborate.
The project was first showcased at Birmingham City University’s Inspired Festival which celebrates the third-year projects of students from its Faculty of Arts, Design and Media.
Liam plans to continue his work with organisations across the region to help tell the hidden stories of the athletes.
Liam added: “I enjoyed working with all of the teams involved. Each athlete had their own personal story of how sport continued to develop them, and how supportive the organisations were in helping them achieve that.”
“I hope that the portraits inspire anyone considering joining a sports club or activity aimed at the disabled community to feel more confident in achieving their goals.”
Learn more about Birmingham City University’s Visual Communication courses at www.bcu.ac.uk/clearing.