Dr Melanie King

Dr Melanie King is a working class artist and curator. Melanie is Lecturer In Photography at Canterbury Christ Church University. She has recently completed her PhD at the Royal College of Art. She is represented by the Land Art Agency. She is co-Director of super/collider, Lumen Studios and founder of the London Alternative Photography Collective.

Melanie is interested in the relationship between the environment, photography and materiality. Melanie intends to highlight the intimate connection between photographic materials and the natural world. Melanie is currently researching a number of sustainable photographic processes, to minimise the environmental impact of her artistic practice.

BA Photography, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, UK, September 2021 - Present.  BA Photography, University of West London, UK, January 2019 - May 2021.  MA Fine Art Pathways, Royal College of Art, London, UK, January 2018 - Present. GUEST LECTURES  Royal College of Art, Bath Spa University, Leeds Art University, Canterbury Christ Church University,  UCA Rochester, UCA Farnham, Plymouth University, London South Bank University, London College of Communication, Leeds University, Newcastle University Central Saint Martins, International Space University: Space Studies Programme, Brighton University, Liverpool Hope University  Winchester School of Art, The Margate School, Norwich University of the Arts, Manchester Metropolitan University, Camberwell College of Art.

'King, Melanie, 2024, Recent Thesis Abstract;
Ancient light: Rematerializing the astronomical image.

'How can the field of astronomical photography, viewed through the lens of new materialism, alter our collective perception of ecology? How does the coalescence of astronomy and materiality alter our perception of analogue photographic
processes?

In this time of ecological catastrophe, it is important to readdress our tangible, material connection with the universe and our planet. By analysing this interaction between astronomy, new materialism, and photography, new insights are provided on how this convergence of theories alters our understanding of the natural world. The thesis demonstrates the interconnectedness between the universe, humans and photographic materiality. It discusses the importance of investigating the materials that we use daily, with a specific focus on waste produced by the photographic industry.

Analogue astronomical photography uniquely allows us to understand the intimate connection between the cosmos and the earthbound. Silver is found in distant stars, yet it can be mined from the depths of our Earth and used to create photographic images. Calcium is also found within stars such as our Sun, yet it is also a building block of bones and teeth, which can then be processed to make gelatine. In this text, I draw upon my own reflective practice; I have taken long exposure photographs of the stars in international dark sky locations and observatories. The methodology of this practice-based research is informed by Donna Haraway and Melody Jue, who advocate for an embodied experience of landscape. This research builds on Donald Schön’s concept of reflective knowledge. I discuss photographic artists working in and with the landscape, including Garry Fabian Miller and Susan Derges.

I go on to consider more-than-representational, non-human photography, as introduced by Rebecca Najdowski and Joanna Zylinska. My thesis is situated in the context of new materialism, which seeks to understand the intrinsic material connections between human and non-human phenomena. I draw on theorists such as Jane Bennett, Karen Barad, Donna Haraway and Timothy Morton, as well as from Robin Wall Kimmerer, who analyses the complex network of material exchanges from a perspective informed both by contemporary science and ancient indigenous thinking.

Understanding more about the interconnected nature of photographic and astronomical materiality, it becomes imperative to innovate new methods of sustainable photographic practice. This research demonstrates analogue photographic processes which are less damaging to the environment, including plant-based developers and silver reclamation from photographic fixer. Distinct from contemporary astronomical photographic images, which are often digital composites with interpreted colour, Ancient Light demonstrates our intimate connection with the cosmos, by examining the tangible, entangled connections between the stars, human existence, and the ecology of planet Earth. The thesis advances knowledge in this area by weaving these connections together, providing new insights into the materiality of photography through theoretical lenses of varying magnitude, from subatomic to cosmic.

AWARDS

Curator space Bursary, 2024.
Arts Council England, Developing Your Creative Practice Grant for "Acquaintance" , 2023.
Arts Council England, Project Grant for "Precious Metals", 2021.
Royal Academy of Engineering. Ingenious Public Engagement Grant, 2021. (With Leah Nani Alconcel, University of Birmingham)
Rebecca Vassie Memorial Trust, 2021.
Arts Council England Emergency Covid 19 Grant, 2020.
South East Creatives Grant, 2020.
Rebecca Vassie Memorial Trust, 2019.Grantham Art Prize, Imperial College London, 2019.                                    Threshold Award, Metro Imaging, 2018.
Royal College of Art, Conference Funding Award, July 2018.
London College of Communication, Research Funding Award, March 2017

COMMISSIONS

Photo-Canopy, Burton On Trent, Derby, 2024.
Photographing The Invisible with Dr Carlos Cueto, Imperial College London & Royal College of Art, London, 2023.
Glacial Movements and the Ghaib, British Council Pakistan-UK New Perspectives, 2022. (Lumen)
Collaboration with Pak Khawateen Painting Club - Hunza Glacial Region, Pakistan.
Changing Currents, Space Studios London, ARUP and The River Roding Trust, London, 2022. (super/collider)
Nature Now: Curating Climate, Signal Film and Media & Forestry Commission, The Lake District, 2022. (super/collider)
Superposition UK/HK, Red Eye Photography Network Manchester / Open Eye Gallery Liverpool.
Collaboration with Fong Hin Nam and Wong Pak Hang, 2022.
ITV Creates Ident Commission. Aired February 2021.
Submerged Landscapes, Mural, 2021. Supported by Mozilla Foundation. 2021.
Back To Nature, Imperial Lates Online, (super/collider), 2020.
Ultra, Art Science, Imperial College London, Kings College London and the Royal College of Art, London, 2020.
Trajectories III, Watermans Gallery, London, 2020.
Museum of Freemasonry, London, (Lumen), 2020.
EU Science Hub, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, 2019.
Margate Film Festival, 2019
Bow Arts, 2018
Mayes Creative, 2018.
Vivid Projects (Lumen), 2018
On Bubbles, COS Stores & Design Miami, 2017
Green Man Festival (Lumen), 2017
Developed In Birmingham, 2017
Aries On The Horizon (Lumen), British Science Association, 2017
Chelsea Flower Fringe, June 2016
On Light, World Record Cyanotype, The Welcome Trust, May 2015.

RESIDENCIES

Island Darkroom Residency, Achmore, Scotland, February 2024.
The Lengths, Achaphubuil, Scotland, January 2024.
School of Metallurgy and Materials, The University of Birmingham, UK, Feb 2021 to July 2022
Space-Earth-Space, Field Notes: The Heavens, BioArtSociety, Kilpisjärvi, Finland, September 2019.
Exchange of the Light, XYZ Books, Lisbon, June 2019
Tombolo, Brow Head, Mizen Peninsula, West Cork, Ireland. May 2019.
Joya: Arte & Ecologia, April 2019
Bow Arts, Raw Labs, October 2018 - February 2019
Resonances, EU Commission, Ispra, Italy. June 2018.
SÍM Residency, Reykjavik, Iceland, February 2018
Whitechapel Gallery, November 2017 - January 2018.
Laboratory of Dark Matters, Guest Projects, April 2017
Kielder Observatory, February 2017
The Story Of Light, Goa, India, January 2015

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

Format 24, Future Now Artists & Curator Panel Discussion, 20 June 2024. (Online)
Tea's Time Conference, Camberwell College of Art, London, UK, 15 March 2024.
Conversations on Photography, University of Cambridge, UK, 11 March 2024.
Ascensions 4: Class, Royal College of Art, UK, 7 December 2023.
The Eyes #14: Fracture, The Eyes Magazine Launch, La Comète, Paris, France, 9 November 2023.
eco_media IV: rip, rip, microchip, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. 21 November 2022. (Online)
No School Nevers, Nevers, France. 16 July 2022.
Ancient Light, Levels of Life: Photography Imaging and the Vertical Perspective, London College of Communication, 02 July 2022.
Ancient Light, Artistic Research in Analog Photography, Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki.
(Online)
Biocolour - Exploring Sustainable Colour, Arktikum Science Centre, Rovaniemi, Finland, 14 October 2021. (Online)