Family History
'Developing the Negative' /
Behind the scenes
“The exhibition ran for three weeks, attracting very positive feedback, and I hope it will travel in the future. It has an important message; that who we are and what we experience in life matters. ”
I’m afraid I’ve been bad at blogging! I have been so busy over the last year; traveling, studying for an MA, preparing work for exhibitions - not to mention my ‘real’ work; looking after a large household and looking out for my kids, that I just haven’t written up the important stuff!
Now whilst we still are under lockdown and travel anywhere is impossible I aim to give the viewer a ‘look behind the scenes’ and explain the projects themselves. Apart from anything else, it’s a good thing for me to do. Maybe one day a long time from now one of my family will read these offerings and gain a little insight into their history and how the discovery of that same history changed me.
Sir Ian Wood Building, Robert Gordon University
At the beginning of 2020, just as Coronavirus had shown up on the world’s radar as a distant but emerging threat, my attention was focused on bringing together three projects I have developed since 2017 for an exhibition. This was to be held in the concourse of the Sir Ian Wood Building, RGU at the invitation of Libby Curtis, Head of Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen. I aimed to tell a somewhat of an odyssey - a story that reached back into history pulling me in and in doing so, I hoped to engage others.
‘Developing the Negative’ SIWB concourse, RGU, Aberdeen. Febuary 2020
Beginning with a pilgrimage of my own, I planned to open the exhibition with three sections, the first dedicated to the search for my mother’s mysterious past entitled ‘Fragments that Remain’. Sandwiched in the middle section would be portraits and stories collected by descendants of Polish soldiers comprising the project ‘From Generation to Generation’- mostly gathered in my husband’s hometown of Fraserburgh (N.E.Scotland). For the final section, six portraits were to be included from a project I initiated entitled ‘Do You Know My Name?’, little-publicized stories gathered from survivors of terror attacks in Israel.
Rina Ariel speaking about her murdered 13 year old daughter, Hallel, to Faith Milne
One project led into another and so I endeavored to replicate this, taking people on a journey which begins by looking back, gathering fragments of information to gain context, then exploring how other’s experiences have shaped them. As part of the intricacies of my own journey, I have followed the peregrination of the Jewish people. I chose to sum up by highlighting some of the little known tragedies faced by those who have chosen to live in Israel today.
Holocaust Survivor Adam Adams, London.
I chose the name ‘Developing the Negative’ to encompass all three projects for its obvious connection to photography, but also because I wanted to highlight the character seen in those who have faced the unimaginable, each one featured emerging with so much to give others.
Preparation was undertaken on many levels; initially by identifying which stories to include. This was actually harder than it sounds! Each person I have met has touched me personally; all the stories were powerful, so cutting them out was a hard call. It was difficult as a photographer stepping back to decide which portrait was stronger, ensuring also that these images explored a narrative whilst sitting well next to each other. The need for consistency answered some of these questions; section one comprised of portraits whereas most of the strong images in section two were landscape crops.
George Cheyne and Jennie Milne, Febuary 29th 2020
I worked in collaboration with George Cheyne from RGU Arts and Heritage Trust, and ‘Look Again’ It was brilliant having such lovely professionals taking care of many details such as preparing the posters, interpretation panels, refreshments, and invitations. George prepared all the ‘walls’ and helped me hang the work. He is such a lovely guy and a real pleasure to work with.
Opening night saw individuals from a variety of backgrounds come together to view the work and listen to the explanatory presentation. Photographers, leading members of the Polish and Jewish Communities, genealogists, University lecturers, examiners and peers, family and friends all gathered in the university’s amphitheater, some traveling from as far as Shetland, Edinburgh, and Glasgow to be present. To say it was humbling is an understatement.
Libby Curtis introducing Jennie Milne. Opening night, RGU Amphitheatre
“This is an important body of work. Jennie’s commitment to her practice, and to this difficult and challenging subject, has brought the hidden stories of so many people to life. The connections and reach that her work has forged reveals the integrity and creative power of storytelling and importantly the medium of photography.
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Developing the Negative presentation
The exhibition ran for three weeks, attracting very positive feedback, and I hope it will travel in the future. It has an important message; that who we are and what we experience in life matters. We must not be afraid of those who have suffered through no fault of their own, in fact, we can learn from them. Perspective counts. We should not be afraid to cross borders, rejecting prejudice to learn from one another. We are all human at the end of the day. The media does not always tell the truth, it can and sometimes does direct a narrative that hides the truth. We must take responsibility for our own learning and be open to others.
“This exhibition has an important message. I sincerely hope and pray it travels far.”
To view the exhibition online, please look under the ‘Exhibition’ tab on this website. To take a look at the projects mentioned in more depth look under the ‘Projects’ tab.
I am working on updating and adding information to my website so please keep coming back to check. Contact me directly if you wish to talk or ask any questions. I intend to blog about each project so watch out for that too. Finally, stay safe, and I hope to see you somewhere near your home when I am back on the road!
Many thanks to the wonderful ‘Developing the Negative’ sponsors. Your help is greatly appreciated!