‘Going to the Sand’ exhibition at Lancaster Maritime Museum
Written by John Williamson on 04/05/2022
The new exhibition at the Lancaster Maritime Museum features the stunning photography of celebrated photographer Tessa Bunney.
Morecambe Bay inshore fishing families do not say that they are going fishing, they say that they are ‘going to the sand’ and Tessa has worked alongside them over many months getting to know them and documenting their stories and recording their practice, working in the margins between land and sea.
Tessa said: “For over 25 years I have photographed rural life, working closely with individuals and communities to investigate how the landscape is shaped by humans.
“From hill farmers near my home in North Yorkshire to Icelandic puffin hunters, from Finnish ice swimmers to Romanian nomadic shepherds my projects reveal the fascinating intricacies of the dependencies between people, work and the land.”
The exhibition highlights the changing ecology of the bay and how it affects this ancient way of life, where for those gathering cockles and mussels, or using haaf nets, little has changed. Yet, inshore fishing is challenged by many external factors and for many their future in the industry hangs in the balance.
‘Going to the Sand’ is at Lancaster Maritime Museum until July 3.
More information can be found on Tessa’s work at www.tessabunney.co.uk.
