Ten Farmers photography & installation exhibition: Angela Dixon and Irene Rogan

Top: Mark Ward - Poet gave readings of his work to an appreciative audience

Back end

White gulls stretch Pink worms Like tendons, In the plough’s wake.

It’s the back end. Low sun Burns intensely Gives little warmth

Do not forget me! It seems to cry: Spilling its dying embers On the leaf litter.

From ‘The Visitor’s Book’

Above: Mark Wards Collection and poem left: Mark’s readings followed by a set from Jim Hodgson, a local musician singer/songwriter.

Far Left: Millom Palladium poster concerning his talk about ‘Engineering and Working with Nature ‘ and Left: Chris Hudson (ICE), gives a global perspective of engineering using some of the most famous examples of engineering including his amusing take on the Golden ratio with US President Donald Trump’s recognizable hairstyle.

Jane Topping is a film maker and artist whose practice is interdisciplinary, but mostly she make films. Evolving from feminist film practice and science fiction, her films make use of appropriation and narrative to warp the established meanings of pop cultural texts. Her short film Peter won Best PKD Short at The Fifth Annual Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival, New York, 2017.

Currently Jane is Programme Leader of BA (Hons) Fine Art at the University of Cumbria Institute of the Arts.

For Artists Talks Jane’s presentation was an in-depth discussion about her practice and the concepts behind her film ‘Disaggregated Industries’ a short, atmospheric, science fiction film set in Millom collaborating with Sound Artist Mark Vernon an experimental work

TEN FARMERS

This project evolved from a desire to connect with the agricultural community. Artist Irene Rogan invited local photographer Angela Dixon to collaborate with her on the project interviewing farmers and photographing them at work on their farms. Angela took this opportunity to take her photography in a new direction from that of wedding photographer to fulfilling a long term ambition to work in a spontaneous way in a new and challenging environment.

The primary aim of the exhibition for Irene is to connect the town’s historic and present day agricultural heritage, alongside the evolution of Millom from small rural village to large scale industrial iron ore production site and back to rural site with the process of natural restoration providing the area a new approach towards tourism and protection of the ecology. Generating a dialogue between artist and farmers was assisted by Cumbria Farmers Network .Managing Director Adam Day.

The exhibition of black and white photographs, text from farmers interviews and an installation titled ‘Vibrant Matter’ created from

disused farm equipment, involved the following participating farms: Beck, Millom Castle, Lowscales, Langthwaite and Beckside, Whicham Valley.

‘ Farms hold a long- term fascination for me since childhood when they seemed remote and somehow unreachable, disconnected with everyday life in Millom. Yet, here they are integral to life in the provision of food and shaping the natural environment.’ Irene Rogan Artist

‘Fabulous photos and intriguing implements! Thank you for this exhibition; can it visit other venues?‘

Adrianne Calsey

‘Excellent exhibition showing our true heritage, well done both.’

Sam Roylance ‘Irene this is really brings a ‘breath’ of fresh air into Millom area, and this could be the start of a really positive and interesting era. Her collaboration with Angela on the project is excellent’.

Great to focus on Millom & District’ Mary Jardine

‘Nice to look at local folk’ Joyce King

‘Excellent photography & information. Very good. Well Done! Lovely to see the premises used’ Rob and Rowena Morris-Eyton

‘The building is a hidden gem and the exhibition is very creative and thought provoking’ Neil Smith BBC Radio Cumbria ‘There’s a need for people like you that make a sort of connection between people coming from city and farmers Good work!’ Stefania Haurto

Top: Invitation to Ten Farmer Above: Open evening visitors right: Angela Dixon in discussion with farmers. ‘Hadn’t though of Farming as art before but now I see it !’ Philp Clague, Lake District National Park.

Roger Holland, Low Scales Farm Rowena and Robert Morris -Eyton, Beckside Farm, Whicham Valley Robert Tyson, Beck Farm Millom

Pauline and Michael Park, Millom Castle Farm Sandra Sharp and Michael Sharp, Langthwaite Farm, Millom

TEN FARMERS all the farmers were invited by Moving Mountains Art to select their portrait photographs taken by Angela during the interviews, it became then, a collaboration between artist, photographer and farmer. This connection was a vital element in the process of meeting and engaging with the agricultural community and generating trust and enduring relationships. Visiting the farms, some of which had buildings over three hundred years old, gave us new insights into the landscape and the farmers lives, that we as the ‘town’s folk’ were both familiar with and yet unconnected to. The dialogue with farmers was greatly assisted by the Farmers Network, on interviewing Irene Rogan to discover motives for wanting to meet the farmers and concerning the content of the proposed exhibition. The Network’s approval and support proved pivotal in the success of meeting the farmers and discovering the different characteristics of each farm.