The Tannery: Contemporary Photographs Of An Ancient Tradition

A new exhibition of photographs at Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum will appeal to Devonians, photographers, social historians and craftsmen and women alike.

The Tannery: Photos by Paul Glendell captures life and work at Hamlyn’s tannery in Colyton where the ancient industry of tanning leather using oak bark has been carried out for hundreds of years. The firm of J and FJ Baker and Sons Ltd, who now run the tannery, are the only company in Britain that still makes leather in this way. The work is hard, smelly and messy but produces high quality leather for which there is still a flourishing market.

In his un-posed black and white photographs, Paul portrays the people and processes involved in an ancient craft, conveying the spirit of the place, the qualities of light, the sense of movement. Inspired by the founding principles of Henry Cartier-Bresson and the work of James Ravilious, Paul continues in the fine tradition of social documentary, capturing the moment and the essence of a place with the unassuming Leica camera.

The Tannery: Photos by Paul Glendell will be on display in Gallery 22 from Wednesday 20 March to Sunday 23 June. An audio/slideshow of the tannery photographed by Paul and published on the BBC News Web site at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-14442109 will also be on show at the exhibition.

Paul is an award winning photo-journalist documenting environmental issues and disappearing cultural history. His work has been published in prominent places, including Time and Life magazines, national newspapers and the BBC. Paul’s commissioned photography work involved extensive travels around Britain, Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Romania and Israel. His work has been exhibited in Britain, France, China, Slovakia and Hungary.

For more information visit www.rammuseum.org.uk