Wendy Pye, United Kingdom
Wendy Pye is a visual artist, lecturer and moving image producer based in Brighton, UK. She studied Photography & Film at Westminster University and graduated with an M.A in Photographic Arts at The London College of Communication, London in 2009. Wendy's personal work stems from an interest in the atmosphere of place and the landscape. Her personal lens based project titled 'Beachy Head' (2008- ) focuses on the threshold of this stunning but deadly landscape on the South East Coast. Through various series of works she explores the threshold of the cliff face and the metaphysical or psychological states embedded within the chalky headland. Images from this project have been selected for the 'Fresh Faced and Wide Eyed' annual exhibition at the Photographers Gallery, London (2009), awarded an Honourable Mention - 'Lucie International Photography Awards' (2009) and Shortlisted for the 'Deutche Bank Pyramid Award' (2009). She has been a regular exhibitor at 'Brighton Photo Biennial/Fringe Festival' and has had works selected and exhibited at various exhibitions nationally and internationally including ' Nine Point Perspective' at Hotshoe Gallery, London (2011) 'Bridge', Bom Gallery, Seoul, Korea, 'Photographers Films' - East End Film Festival London (2012). Work has also featured in BJP, Hotshoe, Source Magazines and been featured in BJP, Hotshoe, Source Magazines and in the Guardian Newspaper.
Wendy is also co-founder of Tri-Pod, an organisation that is finding new ways of working with creatives, supporting the realisation of photographic projects using an informal group structure.
Luminance in Flux
Beachy Head in south east England is known for its quintessential English scenery - a place where undulating pastures meet precipitous, white chalk cliffs but is also a well-known location for suicide attempts with a history dating back to the 1600’s.
Over the last three years, I have been exploring this beautiful yet disturbing stretch of coastline where beauty and death extraordinarily collide for the photographic project titled ‘Beachy Head’. Developing
various series of images that stems from an interest in the cycles of life and death and the moments and symbols that occur in the liminal space between living and dying.
Luminance in Flux is the third most recent series of the project.
The series of 5 images is a personal response to being up on Beachy Head at night and sensing the landscape at times to feel otherworldly. The physical creation of light moving through this ominous coastline symbolises a ghostly absence, questioning how we respond to illusions of ethereal presence and our fascination with the supernatural.
Collections who hold her works
The University of the Arts London Art Collection
Books
Behind the Image By Natasha Caruana and Anna Fox, AVA Press: Distributed by Phaidon
