University News Last updated 23 April 2015
Photography students from the University worked in collaboration with Library of Birmingham archives to explore the theme of conflict within a historical and contemporary context.
Their aim was to develop ideas for a still and moving image work whilst working directly with original material from the photographic archives at the Library of Birmingham.
Three final year Visual Communication Photography students began working on the project at the start of the year, guided by Ravi Deepres, Professor of Moving Image and Photography at Birmingham City University. In sessions facilitated by Pete James, Curator of Photographs, the students were introduced to a range of visual and textual archival materials from Library of Birmingham.
Part of the materials documenting the Franco-Prussian War and Siege of Paris in 1871 were from the Sir Benjamin Stone Collection. Another part were albums of official photographs documenting the impact of the Birmingham Blitz during the Second World War.
"These resources became creative tools and content for a multimedia piece which explored both the loss of identity which occurs through the clouded, smoke and mirror, somewhat never understood, experience of conflict.", said Pete James.
The film was first shown in March at the Swipeside - a collaboration between Birmingham City University and Flatpack Festival, which supports new talent in film, animation and multi-media and will be shown and future events throughout the year.
You can watch the short film below.
A film created and edited by Maria Antoniadou, Billy Moore and Mark Wright.