The PHOTOS was the culmination of the three-year Herefordshire Life Through A Lens project, and was a multi-venue exhibition of photographs which represented the first major retrospective of the Derek Evans Studio collection ever to be held. Many of the images have never been seen outside Derek’s dark room, or had not been exhibited for over 50 years. And how lucky we were to be able to show this wonderful work just in time before every venue in the country began to shut down due to Covid-19. We bring you a small taster here.
Exhibitions with different themes and approaches were on display at Hereford’s Museum and Art Gallery, College of Arts, Cathedral, Archive and Records Centre, and The Courtyard. We had had some incredible feedback from members of the public,
“Fantastic – a great exhibition – it made me smile, laugh and almost cry!”
“Well done Catcher Media for bringing this all to life”
“Glorious atmospheric photographs”
“Excellent – why not make it an annual event?” (all from the Comments Book)
“From the Museum’s perspective the exhibition is excellent – well curated, professionally displayed and Derek Evans’ work is totally relevant to Hereford, the county and people’s lives.” (Judith Stevenson – Museum Team Leader)
Volunteer stewards reported that several people sat in our impromptu screening space at The Museum and Art Gallery and watched the whole of ‘Stories From The Hop yards’ or ‘Carousel’ film. Apparently more than one person stayed for the whole three hours to watch both films: and it wasn’t even raining outside!
The visitor numbers recorded on March 6th, a good two weeks before many of the exhibitions closed, were heartening too:
Cathedral = 4,000
Museum & Art Gallery = 1704 (including 423 Children including 2 school visits of 91 each day)
Courtyard = 9,000 (TBC)
If you couldn’t make the exhibitions we now have Virtual Tours of each exhibition on our website.
Hereford Museum and Art Gallery: Original prints + film Screenings + Derek’s scrapbooks and camera equipment
The Courtyard: Archive & contemporary images
Hereford College College of Arts: Childhood
Hereford Cathedral: Religious life
Archive and Records Centre: Press cutting and scrapbooks
Visit our Virtual 360 degree Tours (click here)
Or see Derek’s exhibitions prints online (click here)
NB: Unfortunately, due to precautions to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the exhibitions in the county libraries have had to be cancelled.
Photographs: Jack Miller, Julia & Rick Goldsmith