Throughout 2015 Dimbola Museum and Gallery at Freshwater will host a series of exhibitions showcasing the artwork of local school students, who have been inspired by Julia Margaret Cameron. Appropriately, the shows are entitled ‘Inspired’.
For the anniversary year the main gallery has been freshened up by means of a sympathetic refurbishment. New frames have been purchased with grant money and a timeline of Julia’s life has been updated.
Highlight of the year will be the ‘Pilgrimage’ exhibition featuring the photography of the world renowned American photographer. Annie Leibovitz, who has already visited Dimbola.
It will feature images involving her curiosity of the world and will also span landscapes and interiors.
For the first exhibition of this special year ‘Chasing Shadows’ features contemporary photographers taking on the challenges and possibilities of historic photographic techniques.
Remeo Defoun has produced a striking work of art featuring liquid photo emulsion on stainless steel mesh.
Ian Milton has employed ‘Cliche Verre’ for his pieces, which combine painting and photographs.
A number of photographers hail from Dublin including Alison Baker Kerrigan.
‘Chasing Shadows’ continues at Dimbola until 19th April.
Born in Calcutta on 11th June 1815 Julia Margaret Cameron visited the Tennysons at Farringford a number of times. In about 1860 she bought two cottages (Dimbola and Sunnyside) from a local fisherman. Having made the buildings into her home and photographic studio she worked on her inspired photographs until 1875.
In the Autumn of 1875 Julia and her husband packed up their belongings and made the long sea journey to Ceylon. There, three of her sons were managing the family coffee estates. It was in Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka) that she died on 26th January 1879 after a short illness.