The Bradford Grid Project
The Bradford Grid is an ongoing photographic survey of Bradford using map sections to direct a group of photographers in exploring aspects of local culture and topography. Photographers respond to what they find, and are free to choose visual solutions which best express their ideas. The project has been running for three years with many more years ahead to cover the whole area.This is our second exhibition and, as before, includes a range of topics that the photographers have chosen to consider over the past year.
The idea to work in this way was inspired by a similar project that has been operating in Portland, Oregon titled The Portland Grid. This project has been operating for thirty years and they have compiled a data base of about 20,000 images of Portland including land forms, architecture, people, residential neighborhoods and industrial sites, which give a sense of place that would otherwise have gone unrecorded.(This work can be viewed at www.portlandgridproject.com.) I had always thought that a similar approach could work here. One particularly dark rainy evening in Bradford while drinking with other photographers in the pub (the best place for ideas) we decided to get our own grid project off the ground. Bradford’s perceived image is not great, the dilapidated buildings from its industrial past have given it the reputation of being run down and attempts at recovery seem thwarted by its close proximity to Leeds. It has a history of ‘missing the boat’ and recent redevelopment projects have done little to really change things. But there is a dynamic and diverse culture, different communities of people live and work here, it is their home. The landscape, which is both urban and rural, continues to adapt, its layered history giving clues to a dynamic past. This provides ideal material for a social and topographic survey. We decided that core members of the group had to either live or work in the Bradford district. There are no restrictions regarding method or subject matter. Each month a section of the map is chosen at random from an old Kodak processing tin. We try to meet regularly to show and discuss work and to choose a new grid section for the following month. I have to say at this point that we are nothing like as rigorous as our Portland counterparts but it still seems to work.
We intend to invite local, national and international guest photographers, artists and writers to participate in the Project.
Charlie Meecham
Instigator and coordinator