ABOUT
Helen McGhie is a lens-based artist and researcher based in Salford (UK). She explores the still, moving and sonic image to create new encounters with photography, often in non-art contexts, to engage diverse audiences in new, unexpected ways.
She is Senior Lecturer in Photography at the University of Sunderland and is currently working on an practice-based PhD exploring encounters with dark skies at Kielder Observatory (Northumberland), funded by Northern Bridge Consortium (NPIF/AHRC).
EDUCATION
| 2017-23: | Practice-based photography PhD, University of Sunderland |
| 2012-14: | MA Photography, Royal College of Art (Distinction) |
| 2006-09: | BA(Hons) Photography, Video & Digital Imaging, University of Sunderland (1st class) |
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
| 2022: | Another Dimension, Kielder Forest Skyspace Trail (Northumberland, UK) |
| 2022: | Dark Skies & Society conference, University of Oxford Cohen Quad (UK) |
| 2021/2: | Another Dimension, Kielder Observatory (online) visit exhibition |
| 2021: | SelfScapes, Dalby Forest (North Yorkshire, UK) |
| 2020: | Exploring Skyscapes, Nottingham Contemporary (Nottingham, UK) |
| 2019/20: | Observe, Experiment, Archive, Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens / North East Photography Network (Sunderland, UK) |
| 2019: | Writing Skyscapes, Backlit Gallery (Nottingham, UK) |
| 2018: | 209 Women, Portculis House, UK Parliament (London, UK) |
| 2018: | Field/s ONE, Sluice_ Gallery (London, UK) |
| 2018: | Traces, Artrooms (Seoul, South Korea) |
| 2018: | Because we can, Festival Pil'ours (Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, France) |
| 2018: | <The Scrap>, Culture Station Seoul 284 (Seoul, South Korea) |
| 2018: | Cosmic Perspectives, Ugly Duck / Lumen Studios (London, UK) |
| 2017: | Lumen, Bankley Gallery (Manchester, UK) 2017: |
| 2017: | GM Arts Prize, Elliot House (Manchester, UK) |
| 2016: | And Again, Brooklyn Fire Proof / Sluice Exchange Rates (New York, USA) |
| 2016: | Hard Focus, ArtWork Atelier (Salford, UK) |
| 2015: | Sluice_ 2015, with Vacuous, Bargehouse (London, UK) |
| 2015: | Hello Future! Talent's Archive, Onassis Cultural Centre (Athens, Greece) |
| 2014: | Body, PH21 Gallery (Budapest, Hungary) |
| 2014: | Noise Festival: Best New Creatives, Southbank (London, UK) |
| 2014: | Show RCA, Royal College of Art (London, UK) |
| 2014: | Penumbra, APT Gallery (London, UK) |
| 2013: | Splinter, Michael Hoppen Gallery (London, UK) |
| 2013: | WIP Show, Royal College of Art (London, UK) |
| 2012: | Helen McGhie: Identity Crisis, Harris Museum & Art Gallery (Preston, UK) |
| 2011: | Freedom From Selection, BLANKSPACE (Manchester, UK) |
| 2010: | Flesh & Blood, Nexus Art Café (Manchester, UK) |
| 2010: | At Home, Chapel Gallery (Ormskirk, UK) |
| 2010: | Autres pour elles-mêmes, 8th Congress New Lacan School of Psychoanalysis (Geneva, Switzerland) |
| 2010: | The Big M / Abandon Normal Devices, Flag Market Square (Preston, UK) |
| 2009: | Helios VII, The Biscuit Factory (Newcastle, UK) |
selected ONLINE + PRINT
| 2020: | Stargazing from the forest, interview with Photomonitor |
| 2020: | Monthly Photography, South Korea |
| 2019: | Observe, Experiment, Archive, Photomonitor (exhibition review) |
| 2019: | 209 Women, Hilary Wood, Helen Pankhurst (Bluecoat Press) |
| 2018: | Madam and Eve: Women Portraying Woman, Liz Rideal & Kathleen Soriano (Laurence King Publishing) |
| 2018: | Ideas on Talent: Communities within Photography with Thom Bridge, Photoworks |
| 2017: | Graphic Design School, Abbie Vickress, David Dabner, Sandra Stewart, Eric Zemple (Thames & Hudson) |
| 2015: | Helen McGhie, artist at Format Festival 2015, Shutter Hub |
| 2014: | Image Conscious, Spectrum, The Sunday Times Magazine, 23.11.14 |
| 2014: | Penumbra, VERB Bureau (self-published) |
| 2014: | Science & Fiction (Black Dog Publishing) |
| 2014: | Uncertain States 17 newspaper |
| 2013: | Meet: Helen McGhie, Hunger TV (online article) |
| 2012: | Identity Crisis exhibition review, Culture 24 |
| 2010: | The Last Picture Show, photography research archive |
| 2009: | JAM Contemporary Photographic Practice, exhibition catalogue |
awards
| 2021: | The Moth House Artist Mentoring Award |
| 2020: | Covid-19 Emergency Fund, Arts Council England |
| 2018: | Hundred Heroines (nominated), The Royal Photographic Society |
| 2018: | International Portfolio Reviewers Choice Award, Format Festival |
| 2017/23: | AHRC National Productivity Investment Fund PhD Studentship, Northern Bridge Consortium |
| 2017: | The Graduate Photographer's Award (nominated), Magnum Photos |
| 2017: | GM Arts Prize (shortlisted) |
| 2016: | British Women Artists competition |
| 2015: | The Graduate Photographers Award (nominated), Magnum Photos |
| 2014: | Noise Fesitval Curator's Choice |
| 2014: | The Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers prize (photography) |
| 2014: | Deutsche Bank Fine Art Award (shortlisted) |
| 2013: | European Photography Prize (shortlisted) |
| 2012/3: | RCA Bursary |
CONFERENCES + TALKS
| 2021: | Exploring the Arts-Science Interface, EGU General Assembly 2021 |
| 2021: | Dark Sky Unconference, Dark Sky Tourism Network |
| 2020: | Open Dome Special: Exploring Skyscapes, Nottingham Contemporary |
| 2020: | Northern Bridge Research Residential, British School at Rome |
| 2019: | Art and Astronomy, Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens |
| 2019: | Writing Skyspaces, Nottingham Trent University / Backlit Gallery |
| 2019: | Living Research: The Urgency of the Arts, NAFAE / Royal College of Art |
| 2019: | Creative Lives, University of Sunderland |
| 2018: | NEPN Develop Graduate, University of Sunderland |
| 2016: | Hard Focus: The Physicality of Photography, ArtWork Atelier |
| 2012: | The Museum Social, Harris Museum and Art Gallery |
collections
| <The Scrap>, Seoul, South Korea |
| Onassis Cultural Centre, Athens, Greece |