What’s it like to be 16 years old now? On 18th January 2020 the public realm exhibition of the ground breaking multi-media project SIXTEEN opens in London. And Genesis are proud to support with Direct to Media UV Printing.
This ambitious project brings together the work of 16 photographers whose portraits and interviews with British youth offer a glimpse of what it means to be sixteen years old in today’s fractured country. These teenagers come from diverse areas of the UK, including large conurbations such as London, Manchester and Edinburgh; rural Wales, and the Scottish Islands; and communities in the north of England and Northern Ireland.
‘Being sixteen sucks… but being sixteen can be beautiful’ Amarie, Cardiff, Wales
Working with photography, film, video, audio and the written word the photographers open up conversations with these young people. They speak about their hopes and fears, and whom or what they really care about. Topics range from climate change, identity, belonging, knife crime, to teenage suffrage, family and mental health.
‘When I was younger I was abused. I’m not letting that define me. I’m not my past’
Stephanie, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
The project was conceived by photographer Craig Easton while working with young people at the time of the Scottish Referendum in 2014. Due to its success, Easton invited 16 of the UK’s foremost documentary portrait photographers to work with young people and capture vox pox from around the country of what it means to be sixteen now.
Along with the public facing exhibition the project will also be exhibited at the R K Burt Gallery and Photofusion in London, see the full London dates below:
SIXTEEN Touring Exhibition
18 January – 16 February 2020
In the public realm on the mezzanine, adjacent to City Hall and The Scoop amphitheatre,
Queen’s Walk
London
SE1 2DB
21 January – 13 February 2020
R K Burt Gallery,
57 Union Street
London
SE1 1SG
7 February – 19 March 2020
(Opening evening 6 February 6-9pm)
Photofusion
Gallery entrance via Brixton Recreation Centre
Brixton Station Road
London
SW9 8QQ