Alan Ward

Alan Ward has been a book designer for artists, galleries and art-house publishers since moving to Manchester 29 years ago. During this period he has quietly continued to make his own personal photographic work, but in 2013 made the conscious decision to develop his artistic practice to respond to the ideas of ‘place’, ‘loss’ and ‘cultural heritage’ in our surroundings. This has led to commissions and projects through other mediums, including video, text and public art. Many of his commissions are informed by research and engagement, whether historical or community led. Archives both personal and institutional have become a significant reference point for exploration and reflection on ideas centred on the construction of historical narratives, identities, and individual and collective memories. He enjoys making unexpected discoveries, connections, and combining idiosyncratic observations to consider alternative readings and perspectives on our surroundings. Like W G Sebald, Ward is interested in opening up a discourse with a wider audience investigating ‘the transience of all human things’ and how the memory of places is fundamental to a sense of self. He appreciates the reciprocity of collaborative engagement and what it can reveal and is committed to giving people a voice and the opportunity to express themselves through this process. Facilitating and being part of this, is a key output of his practice. Photographically Ward is interested in often overlooked details, the infra-ordinary of our geographies. His work has been described as ‘a poetic and quiet consideration of our place in that landscape’. His skill in combining image and text through storytelling, is reflected in the publications accompanying his projects. Manchester