My Debut Solo Show

Here are some pictures from the opening evening of my debut solo show, Beyond The Blue - pushing the boundaries of how female photographic portraiture is viewed in the modern world. 

The show ran from November to December at 508 Gallery, Kings Road, Chelsea.

Press Release

Beyond The Blue - pushing the boundaries of how female photographic portraiture is viewed in the modern world.

Chloe McCarrick’s solo show is a visual celebration of female trailblazers and (s)heroes past and present, an illuminating memorial honouring these fascinating and often overlooked figures. Shining a vital spotlight on these extraordinary characters, Chloe aims to place women’s history firmly within current historical and cultural narratives.

Through rule breaking and blending mediums, this collection is created using traditional approaches to photographic techniques with a contemporary, technological twist- A fusion of science, history and darkroom alchemy. By examining and developing innovative ways of reworking photographic, painted and illustrated images, Chloe uses the medium of hand-cut collage, mixed-media print techniques, and the monochromatic colour palette of Prussian blue cyanotypes to
create otherworldly, surrealistic portraits suspended deep inside the paper’s surface.

Seeking to record and interpret the perspectives and human experience of her subjects, she shapes their stories to construct a layered whole. Using rigorous research rituals- (her methodology of collecting and interpreting data) she documents their voices and their visions- their authority, knowledge, struggles and wisdom to create compelling narratives. A rich and resonant means to honour the lives and legacies of women, whose individual and collective accomplishments have
enriched our lives.

In rendering them visible, they serve as a totem of strength, these inspirational and empowering figures symbolise emerging hope. The portraits are chronicles of enquiry, evolving through the dialogue between artist, subject and the viewer, with an aim to start conversations across boundaries and appeal to intellect and emotion. Chloe hopes to inform and inspire by creating narratives that capture the richness, complexity, and dimensionality of human experience in a social and cultural context. Each one leading toward a quest for new understandings and valuable insights, as well as instigating a societal sea change.