Hackney Urban Survey #05 — Hackney Wick and the Olympic Legacy with Chris Dorley-Brown (8–9 June '24)

£75.00
sold out

Photography workshop and pop-up exhibition

8 June – Workshop (full day)
9 June – Workshop (afternoon)

13 June - Exhibition Opening (evening)

Hackney Urban Survey is a series of photography workshops and pop-up exhibitions created by Mass Collective to explore Hackney’s rich and diverse urban fabric, building a collective archive of what Hackney is today. With the Paris Olympic & Paralympic Games just around the corner, our fifth edition will focus on Hackney Wick and the Olympic Legacy — delving into the past and the present of the Olympic project, and how the 2012 sporting event has shaped the development of Hackney, for better or for worse.

For this special extended weekend-long workshop, we’ll be joined by guest tutor and Hackney-based photographer Chris Dorley-Brown, who will be presenting highlights from his decade-long documentation of Hackney and the stories behind his stunning work, as well as sharing his feedback on the new photographic work that we will produce together in the workshop. The weekend will be put in context with an introduction by architect and photographer Francesco Montaguti, who will share some insight into the history of the Olympic Park, and his experiences of working on influential projects in the Olympic Legacy area. Please check the programme below for a full breakdown of our workshop schedule for the weekend.

The workshop is open to just 20 photographers, with amateurs and professionals both welcome. After a day of talks, inspiration and photography, and a communal lunch provided by hyper-seasonal and plant-based restaurant EDIT on Saturday 8th, the group will reconvene on Sunday 9th to collectively review the work produced. A flash exhibition with a curated selection of images will be presented on the evening of Thursday the 13th of June at 215 Mare Street as part of the official programme of the London Festival of Architecture, which will be open to the public, and a chance to celebrate our work with friends, peers, and Hackney locals.

Student Concession: use code HUS20 at checkout to get £20 off your ticket. Only for students with an active student card for the current academic year.

Photography workshop and pop-up exhibition

8 June – Workshop (full day)
9 June – Workshop (afternoon)

13 June - Exhibition Opening (evening)

Hackney Urban Survey is a series of photography workshops and pop-up exhibitions created by Mass Collective to explore Hackney’s rich and diverse urban fabric, building a collective archive of what Hackney is today. With the Paris Olympic & Paralympic Games just around the corner, our fifth edition will focus on Hackney Wick and the Olympic Legacy — delving into the past and the present of the Olympic project, and how the 2012 sporting event has shaped the development of Hackney, for better or for worse.

For this special extended weekend-long workshop, we’ll be joined by guest tutor and Hackney-based photographer Chris Dorley-Brown, who will be presenting highlights from his decade-long documentation of Hackney and the stories behind his stunning work, as well as sharing his feedback on the new photographic work that we will produce together in the workshop. The weekend will be put in context with an introduction by architect and photographer Francesco Montaguti, who will share some insight into the history of the Olympic Park, and his experiences of working on influential projects in the Olympic Legacy area. Please check the programme below for a full breakdown of our workshop schedule for the weekend.

The workshop is open to just 20 photographers, with amateurs and professionals both welcome. After a day of talks, inspiration and photography, and a communal lunch provided by hyper-seasonal and plant-based restaurant EDIT on Saturday 8th, the group will reconvene on Sunday 9th to collectively review the work produced. A flash exhibition with a curated selection of images will be presented on the evening of Thursday the 13th of June at 215 Mare Street as part of the official programme of the London Festival of Architecture, which will be open to the public, and a chance to celebrate our work with friends, peers, and Hackney locals.

Student Concession: use code HUS20 at checkout to get £20 off your ticket. Only for students with an active student card for the current academic year.

  • The workshop will visually explore Hackney Wick and the Olympic Legacy, posing questions on how the Olympic project has helped to shape the surrounding area. There are only 20 places available for this workshop and it’s open to amateur and professional photographers, on a first come first served basis.

    The photography activity will be followed by a collective review of the work we produce, and a selection of images will be printed and presented at a pop-up exhibition open to the public.

  • After a print finishing apprenticeship in Soho and assisting renowned photographer Red Saunders, Chris Dorley Brown set up his Hackney based photographic practice off Mare Street in 1984 documenting east London. Early commissions from Greater London Arts and Hackney Council started an interest in social housing, workplaces, hospitals and architecture. He has since established an ongoing & substantial archive of images that are re-purposed and re-contextualised for distribution via web, film and publications.

    Project partners have included the BBC, Museum of London, Homerton Hospital, the Wellcome Collection, & various London Borough Archives as well as collaborating with writers, artists, activists and film/theatre makers. He often works with re-energising existing archival material as part of creating new works.

    During the 1990s Chris lived in East Anglia researching emerging technologies and time-based works and developing educational programmes with a range of cultural organisations. Since 1997 he has prioritised his photographic work, exhibiting internationally, and creating books with a wide range of publishers. In 2005 he was awarded the Prix Italia for sound design after a period working for BBC Radio 3. He is also editing a series of publications for Hoxton Mini Press of unseen archival collections created by fellow photographers.

    He currently works as an editorial photographer for: Time Magazine (USA), Financial Times, The Economist, DDD (Paris), La Repubblica (Rome) & The Telegraph (UK) and is represented by Robert Koch Gallery (San Francisco) and The Photographers Gallery (London)

    • Produce photography work in collaboration with a group of photographers

    • Learn how to edit your work in a documentary series on the built environment

    • Learn about relevant and inspiring work related to the subject of the workshop

    • Share and review your work with the Mass team, guest tutor and other photographers

    • A communal lunch provided by EDIT, our neighbouring hyper-seasonal, plant based restaurant.

    • Participate in the curation of a flash exhibition

    • Get to know like-minded creatives

    • Celebrate your work at a pop-up show at Mass Collective exhibition space in Hackney as part of the London Festival of Architecture programme

  • Sat 8 June

    10.30 am: Meet at 215 Mare Street, tea and coffee provided

    10.45 am: Welcome, presentation of the day’s activities with Mass Collective

    11.00 am: Presentation about the Olympic Park by architect and photographer Francesco Montaguti and talk with Chris Dorley Brown

    12.30 pm: Communal Lunch provided by EDIT restaurant

    2.00 pm: Photograpy session in the field

    6.00 pm: End

    Sun 9 June

    2.00 pm: Meet at 215 Mare Street, tea and coffee provided

    2.15 pm: Archiving, retouching and editing of the photos produced during the shooting session

    4.00 pm: Collective review and sequencing

    5.30 pm: End

    Thu 13 June

    6.30 - 8.30 pm: Exhibition Opening and Social (snacks and drinks provided)

  • Please bring your own photography equipment (camera, tripod, etc.) and your laptop to download, select and retouch the images. If you do not have a laptop or a camera please let us know so we can assist you.

    Technical note: because of the short time available to produce the exhibition, it’s mandatory for everyone to shoot with digital cameras. You may use a tripod, but many prefer not to due to the time constraints.

  • The workshop will be at Mass’ studio in Hackney at 215 Mare Street, London, E8 3QE. Photography will take place around Hackney.

  • In case of light rain the workshop will still take place, though if the weather conditions are forecasted to be unsuitable for any outdoor activity (i.e. heavy rain or storm) we will notify you the day before at the latest, to postpone the workshop to a near date. In case you are not available to reschedule, you will be eligible for a full refund.

  • The participation fee is not refundable, but can be transferred to another attendee. To transfer your participation, please email us at info@mass-collective.com and let us know the new attendee's full name and email address.

    This excludes cases where the workshop is postponed due to adverse weather conditions. See the Weather section above for details.

    The workshop will be confirmed with a minimum of 10 participants, if that number is not reached Mass reserves the right to cancel the workshop and refund the tickets to the subscribers.