Manchester Met SODA Modal gallery opening
Documentary, Artists, Event David Oates Documentary, Artists, Event David Oates

Manchester Met SODA Modal gallery opening

The Modal Gallery at the Manchester School of Digital Arts (SODA) is a unique space that has become a hub of creativity, innovation, and collaboration. Through its immersive exhibitions, cutting-edge technology, and interactive displays, the gallery has had a significant impact on the SODA community, helping to foster a sense of community and connection among students, faculty members, and industry professionals.

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School of Digital Arts (SODA) Opening at Manchester Metropolitan University – Event Photography
Conference, Event, Documentary David Oates Conference, Event, Documentary David Oates

School of Digital Arts (SODA) Opening at Manchester Metropolitan University – Event Photography

The opening of the School of Digital Arts (SODA) at Manchester Metropolitan University marked an important moment for creative education in the UK and for the cultural life of Manchester itself. Designed as a centre for innovation in digital storytelling, film, animation, photography, sound, gaming and immersive media, the new SODA building represents a major investment in the future of the creative industries.

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Cloud Studies by Forensic Architecture
Documentary, Editorial, Event David Oates Documentary, Editorial, Event David Oates

Cloud Studies by Forensic Architecture

Photographs from the excellent new exhibition Cloud Studies by Forensic Architecture currently showing at Whitworth Art Gallery as part of Manchester International Festival.

https://forensic-architecture.org/investigation/cloudstudies

‘Cloud Studies’ was made for the exhibition Critical Zones: Observatories for earthly politics at ZKM Centre for Art and Media in Karlsruhe. Alongside the physical exhibition, our work is also presented on the virtual exhibition platform.

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50 Windows of Creativity. An assignment for Wild in Art

50 Windows of Creativity. An assignment for Wild in Art

This autumn, Manchester is hosting 50 Windows of Creativity, a showcase of the work of artists and makers displayed in a series of windows, venues, businesses and spaces across the city centre.

The displays feature multiple art forms from fine art and photography to ceramics, crafts, mosaics and murals curated by well-known and emerging artists and collectives – all with a connection to Greater Manchester.

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Photography of High Street Task Force
Conference, Documentary, Event David Oates Conference, Documentary, Event David Oates

Photography of High Street Task Force

The High Streets Task Force was established to England's high streets and town centres to thrive - providing expert training, guidance data to the people who make them. Local leaders and partnerships are be able to access the latest data and evidence to inform their investment and regeneration decisions.

I was pleased to photograph the latest meeting of experts and representatives from the chosen towns at Manchester Metropolitan University business school. I was also able to photograph some portraits of the university staff at the conclusion of the meeting.

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Documentary photography of Helen Knowles 'Trickle Down', Arebyte Gallery, London
Documentary, Artists, Event David Oates Documentary, Artists, Event David Oates

Documentary photography of Helen Knowles 'Trickle Down', Arebyte Gallery, London

Trickle Down, A New Vertical Sovereignty is a tokenised four-screen video installation and generative soundscape, which explores value systems and wealth disparity. The artwork is composed of auction scenes, performances and choral interludes by different communities such as prisoners, blockchain technology employees, market sellers, and Sotheby’s auction bidders.

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British Ecological Society Summer School
Documentary, Event, Schools David Oates Documentary, Event, Schools David Oates

British Ecological Society Summer School

The British Ecological Society’s summer school is a week long residential field experience for students studying sciences at A-level, Scottish Higher and other similar qualifications. This year 31 students from 7 different schools across the UK gathered at Malham Tarn in the Yorkshire Dales. I was there as documentary photographer giving an overview of the day’s activities and providing marketing and social media material.

As ever, working for BES was extremely interesting, a personal highlight being the nature walk led by Dr. Daniel Forman, lecturer in Biosciences at Swansea University. I’d walked the same route as part of the Pennine Way last year but his fascinating insights into the ecology around us was illuminating.

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What Makes a House a Home? for Hawkins/Brown
Documentary, Architecture, Conference, Event David Oates Documentary, Architecture, Conference, Event David Oates

What Makes a House a Home? for Hawkins/Brown

Hawkins\Brown have been debating this question for over 30 years and on Thursday 18 July 2019, hosted a conference party at Glass House One, Festival Square, to celebrate another successful year for Hawkins\Brown Studio North and their continued support of and involvement in Manchester International Festival.

The house: “a machine for living in” (Le Corbusier), or a place “to dream” (Gaston Bachelard)?

The panel delved into this rich and varied topic covering everything from co-living and the concept of community, to shifts in social demographics and changing lifestyles, to DfMA, buildability and volumetric housing, to what “home” means personally to each of the panellists. Some suggestions included: “my record collection”, “acoustic insulation (three children under the age of three!),” and “the freedom to DIY”.

It was a pleasure to photograph the conference while enjoying the atmosphere of MIF and the last of the sunshine.

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British Ecological Society Conferences
Documentary, Conference, Event, Portraits David Oates Documentary, Conference, Event, Portraits David Oates

British Ecological Society Conferences

It’s always fascinating to carry out the conference photography for the British Ecological Society and often easy to forget to take pictures while listening to the presentations. Here are a selection of photographs from their and the Society for Tropical Ecology’s joint annual conference in the magnificent McEwan Hall, Edinburgh.

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New facility opening for DB Cargo
Documentary, Event David Oates Documentary, Event David Oates

New facility opening for DB Cargo

DB recently opened their new facility in Wolverhampton close to the heartland of the West Midlands motor industry. I photographed the launch, giant hangars dwarfing giant trains delivering giant rolls of steel.

I visited the West Midlands twice last year to photograph stories related to Britain’s motor industry. The new facility pictured below to deliver and house steel by Deutsche Bahn Cargo and before that on a commission for German business magazine WirtshaftsWoche to document German manufacturer Brose’s factory making seats and equipment for Jaguar Land Rover.

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