Photography Lecturer, Simon Murphy, is having a blisteringly good month when it comes to recognition for his formidable talents. As part of an already impressive creative team at Glasgow Kelvin College, the skills Simon brings to the photography department continue to engage and inspire students.
In the last week, he has featured in the Glasgow media for a community focused project and, marvellously, has also had one of his works selected in the ‘Hold Still’ National Portrait Gallery competition, organised in part by the Duchess of Cambridge.
Govanhill Project
The Glasgow Live ‘Lives in Lockdown’ focuses on Simon’s career as a photographer and Lecturer and spotlights his ongoing project, ‘Govanhill’ which celebrates the community through the lives and images of its people. Read more at https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/glasgow-lives-lockdown-simon-43-18907929
Simon has already won a series of awards for the intensely personal portraits he produces, capturing the character and experiences of his individual subjects.
Hold Still Exhibition
His latest accolade has only just been announced. A piece of his work has been selected for the National Portrait Gallery ‘Hold Still’ exhibition.
Spearheaded by The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the National Portrait Gallery, Hold Still is an ambitious community project which was launched in May 2020 to create a unique collective portrait of the UK during lockdown. They invited people of all ages to submit a photographic portrait, taken in a six-week period during May and June, focussed on three core themes – Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal and Acts of Kindness. Over 31,000 submissions were received from across the country, with entrants ranging from 4 to 75 years-old. From these, a panel of judges selected 100 portraits, assessing the images on the emotions and experiences they conveyed.
Simon’s beautifully sensitive portrait of his daughter, ‘Biba Behind Glass’, during lockdown has been selected as one of the 100 images.
View all the images at https://www.npg.org.uk/hold-still/images/
Glasgow Kelvin is delighted for his accolade and privileged to have Simon as a member of the team. He says;
"Lockdown brought its challenges, especially trying to re-learn the subjects that I now had to teach the kids; especially the maths. Sometimes it was too much for us all so it was time to teach my girls something I know - Photography. We started a project where we would all photograph our new situation. I photographed the girls and they photographed the world from their perspective.
At the start of lockdown, Biba felt trapped and missed her friends and family terribly. The glass in the portrait represented this barrier but Biba's stare straight into the lens represented her determination to make the best of the circumstances. Looking ahead to the future with hope and strength.
To have one of the images included in the National Portrait Gallery's permanent archive is very special and to have my daughter represent the struggles and hopes of the nation at this time is something we won't forget."
Congratulations and well done on the Royal Seal of approval, Simon!
