Jane Brettle
My work engages with the man made environment as it historically defines us through the ‘construction’ of institutional and domestic space and landscape.
Earlier works were lens-based installations, direct interventions on external surfaces and within buildings, challenging the fabric of a gendered architecture - using photography, film and video projection.
Later projects considered these spaces constitutionally, focussing on the Gallery, Museum and Professional Institution, examining portrait collections as locations where the ‘great and the good’ of Western society are recognised - considering who, historically is deemed a suitable subject to be displayed in these institutions - and who is missing?
More recently I have brought this concern to specific local industrial and pastoral landscapes, which appear to be natural environments but have always been - and remain economically exploited and culturally ‘managed’.
Commissions include: National Galleries of Scotland: Royal College of Surgeons, London: Glasgow Year of Architecture and Design: Photo 98 and the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art. I have exhibited and published nationally and internationally and have work in public and private collections including the Deutsche Bank Art Collection, the National Galleries of Scotland and the Royal College of Surgeons, London.
I am involved in Academic Photography Education - and developed the first Gallery based Photography Education Project in Scotland.
Website: www.janebrettle.com
MINE: 2013-2016: Small screen - animated still image/text Diptych: each element 20mins 30sec duration // © Jane Brettle
