James Wells
Utopian Realities
In this project, James combines traditional photographic film processes with digital post production to create thought-provoking abstract works that are designed to answer questions around the aesthetic, ergonomic and social form of the city. Using Plymouth's Civic Centre as a focal point, the work excavates the utopian aspirations of modernism from their dystopian appearance. The work's dual aim is to explore the history of the built environment while asking a question about the potential for reviving the utopian imagination from the archive of modernist forms that continue to shape urban experience. The speculative architectural imagery that James 'builds' points to the functionality of 'nowhere'; an idea that persists in the utopian traces that can be found in the real world.
Jennifer-Anne Crowther • Josh Greet • Tim Pearse • James Wells •
University of Brighton
MA Photography
Manchester Metropolitan University
MA/MFA Photography
Plymouth College of Art
MA Photography
Royal College of Art
MA Photography
University of South Wales
MA Documentary Photography
Ulster University
MFA Photography
University of Westminster
MA Photography Arts
University of Westminster
MA Documentary Photography and Photojournalism