Tag: Photography

Warm welcome for Muirhouse photo exhibition

Borga Prada Garcia’s eagerly-awaited photographic exhibition opened at North Edinburgh Arts Centre on Tuesday. Friends, colleagues, local residents and at least one of Borja’s photographic subjects came out in strength to support the ‘Welcome to Muirhouse’ event.

Borga spent the best part of a year photographing people and buildings in Muirhouse and Pennywell while studying at Telford College, and the ‘Welcome to Muirhouse’ photo-essay for his Photography HND achieved top marks.

The project became a labour of love, and Borja’s affection for the people he met during his time in the area shines through the images on display at North Edinburgh Arts. It’s taken a lot of work over the last few months to get the exhibition open, but Borja is delighted that his work is on view in Muirhouse.

“I am so pleased that the exhibiiton is here in North Edinburgh Arts Centre. I wanted my pictures to go on display in Muirhouse before they go anywhere else and for local people to see them first – it was important to me”, he said.

Borja wanted to portray Muirhouse in a positive light, and his work achieves that. “I was aware of the very negative image of Muirhouse, but I found it a fascinating place with many warm and welcoming people who I now call friends. It’s too easy to just make assumptions about people and places: I hope I show the real Muirhouse – the place and the people who live here – in my images.”

Borja decided not to make a formal speech to open the exhibition. “I am still working on my English language and I would prefer the occasion to be informal and friendly. I thank everyone for coming, of course, but yes, I will let the photographs tell the story themselves.”

Welcome to Muirhouse can be seen at North Edinburgh Arts on Tuesday – Friday from 10am – 8pm and from 10am – 1pm on Saturday. Until 30 November.

Welcome to Muirhouse to open in … yes, Muirhouse!

Borja Prada’s ‘Welcome to Muirhouse’ photography exhibition opens at North Edinburgh Arts Centre next week. Borja’s pictures tell a wonderful story, so see the exhibition – and quite a few ‘well-kent’ local faces – if you can …

We have previously featured Borja’s work in both the NEN’s print and blog versions, but his story’s worth telling again. Borja, who’s Spanish, was a student at Telford College and his daily bus journey to college took him through past Pennywell shops. When it came to choosing a subject for his final examination exercise, Borja decided upon Muirhouse – the buildings, the people and the sights.

The young Spaniard (pictured top) spent eight months taking photographs and getting to know individuals and families across the area, building trust and forming lasting relationships while compiling a large body of work for his portfolio.

The result was ‘Welcome to Muirhouse’, a book of photographs Borja paid to have printed – and a remarkable 98% pass mark for his examination result!

The photographs tell the story of Muirhouse as it is today, capturing personalities and places before the place changes forever through regeneration.

Borja said: “This upcoming display is organized to show the work I have been doing for the past year documenting Muirhouse and the lives of its inhabitants. It will give a chance for everyone to meet there with the local community and anyone interested
in arts is most welcome to come along”.

‘Welcome to Muirhouse’ opens at North Edinburgh Arts Centre on Tuesday (6 November) from 5.30m, and will then be on display until 30 November.

PREVIEW Some images from the exhibition:

In Dad’s Shoes exhibition opens at Scottish Parliament

In Dad’s Shoes, a photo exhibition which shows what it means to be a dad, opened in the Burns Committee Room in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood yesterday.

Organised by Fathers Network Scotland and Dads Rock in conjunction with Dad’s House, the exhibition tells the story of thirty dads of all types, through images and their own words. The pictures – both personal snaps and professional images – shows the great variety of life as a dad, and the aim of the exhibition is to highlight positive, caring images of dads and their children.

Two local men were among the thirty dads whose stories and pictures were recorded for the exhibition. Dads Alex Newport, from Wester Drylaw, and Malcolm Borthwick, are members of a North Edinburgh group set up specifically for dads. Based at the Haven Project in Craigroyston Primary School, the father’s group is run by Circle Scotland’s Nick Smithers, who enlisted the NEN’s help.

Alec and Malcolm were photographed and interviewed last month, but this was the first time they had seen the finished product – fortunately both men were happy with the display!

Alex Newport lives with his sons Cameron (12), Declan (9) and daughter Tiffany (7) in Wester Drylaw.

 “Life doesn’t always go to plan. My partner developed Huntington’s disease and is now in care – that had a devastating effect on our family, and it’s been really tough. There have been lots of ups and downs, but things have been more settled as the kids have grown up. They understand more now. The biggest challenge has been the change in lifestyle – from having enough money to having to be very careful, but have a social life as a family and we’ve done lots of fun things together over the summer.

“My big hope for my kids is that they enjoy school – I didn’t have a good educational experience and really I hope my own children will continue to enjoy school – the opportunities available to them are much greater. There will be more challenges – Cameron is nearly a teenager, and daughters can bring other challenges – but we’ll get through them together.”

Malcolm Borthwick lives in Granton with his two-year old son James.

 “It was an almightly struggle to get custody of James – my ex-partner’s family made things difficult and I think at first the authorities thought that, because I was brought up in care myself, I wouldn’t be a fit person to bring up my own son. I think the opposite is true – I’m going to do everything I can to make sure James gets the opportunities that I never had.

“I have a boy and girl from a previous relationship. They’re both really brilliant, and I think I’ve learned enough from bringing them up to make sure James is well looked after and cared for. We do everything together – fishing, reading books, going for walks – and I try to make sure James eats all the right things and has a healthy diet. He’ll get the best start in life I can give him.”

Alex, Malcolm and Nick (pictured top) were joined at Holyrood by Circle Scotland Director Liz Dahl, and parliamentarians of all political persuasions were among the first-day visitors – Children and Families minister Aileen Campbell, Sarah Boyack, Lewis MacDonald, Margaret McCulloch and Ann McTaggart were among those MSPs to look in on the exhibition.

Good news for North Edinburgh dads – dad’s group Dad’s Rock will be launching new weekly sessions at The Prentice Centre on Saturday mornings from the end of October. We’ll keep you posted with details when they are confirmed.

Local dads off to Holyrood!

Malcolm and son

Two local men will feature in a photographic exhibition at the Scottish Parliament next month. Dads Alex Newport and Malcolm Borthwick and their families are part of the ‘In Dad’s Shoes’ exhibition being staged by the father’s group Dad’s Rock.

Wester Drylaw’s Alex and Malcolm, who lives in Granton, are members of a North Edinburgh group set up specifically for dads. Based at the Haven Project in Craigroyston Primary School, the father’s group is run by Circle Scotland’s Nick Smithers.

Alex and family

Nick explained:  “The exhibition comprises of photos of all kinds of dads and their children, telling their own stories through photos and with words. The images show a variety of differing stages of being a father, ultimately the aim is to highlight positive, caring images of dads and their children. The exhibition has been on view at Eteaket during July and August, and, complemented  with added new material, will go to Holyrood next month.”

Previously on display south of the border following an official launch at the House of Lords in June, Dads Rock and Fathers Network Scotland worked in conjunction with Dads House to bring this unique photo exhibition to Scotland. It’s hoped that the display will continue to tour Scotland after the Holyrood exhibition.

Welcome to Muirhouse

A young Spanish Telford College student spent eight months taking photographs in Muirhouse while working on a documentary portfolio for his HND in photography. The result was some superb images, excellent exam results – and friendships that could last a lifetime.

Borja Prada Garcia first became interested in Muirhouse when he passed through on the bus on the way to college. “It was an interesting place, photogenic,” he said. “At first sight it seemed like it had been painted on a grey canvas, but later as I visited day after day I found a broader palette of colours behind it’s doors. Muirhouse is actually a colourful place, because of it’s people”.

Borja may have seemed like an unusual figure, a stranger always armed with a camera but as the days and weeks passed he got to know local residents. “Some people were wary and suspicious when I approached them, one or two were threatening, but most people were friendly and helpful. They were inquisitive and interested when I explained what I was trying to do,” he said. “I found that there are lots of misconceptions about Muirhouse; it may seem like a cold place but the people were warm – their smiles can light misty days.”

One family in particular welcomed Borja into their home. “The Sargents were so good to me”, he said. “They were like a family for me here in Muirhouse – they let me share their lives and I visited them every week.”

Over days, weeks and months Borja built up his portfolio, photographing buildings, people and situations on film and then developing prints. It was a long, laborious and expensive process – Borja reckons he shot between forty and fifty rolls of film – but the effort proved worth it: Borja gained 98% for his Graded Unit 2!

Borja self-published ‘Welcome to Muirhouse’, a 60-page book of Muirhouse prints, and now hopes to exhibit his work both at local venues and at galleries further afield. North Edinburgh Arts Centre will perhaps be the first of many when it stages an exhibition of Borja’s work in October.

Borja’s tutor Susan Richards said: “Each year we have three or four projects worth taking further, but every so often a student submits work that is extra special and Borja’s portfolio falls into that category. It is a really impressive body of work and I know how long and how hard Borja worked to achieve it. That dedication and the images he’s produced certainly deserve a wider audience and I’m delighted that more people will be now be able to appreciate it”.

Borja makes a living by working in a restaurant, but the young Spaniard won’t be saying ‘adios’ to Muirhouse any time soon. “The project is ongoing and I intend to shoot in Muirhouse for several years. I thank all the people of Muirhouse who helped me during the project, especially Jim, Jennifer and the Sargents. It is still a very close relationship – they are my friends and we will stay in touch with each other.”

 If a picture paints a thousand words: some of Borja’s images of Muirhouse …