Freedom & Photography

Year 12 Artists and a History pupil visited Portchester Castle.

University of Warwick’s Dr Katherine Astbury, PhD student Abi Coppins and photographers Eva Louise Jonas and Maya Brasington worked with our pupils to engage them in innovative and creative ways to bring to life the histories of the black and mixed-heritage prisoners of war held at Portchester Castle in the late 18th Century. The trip was followed by a two-day workshop in PGS’ Art Studios where we were joined by Oxford University dPhil student Caine Tayo Lewin-Turner and Jaleyna Lawes, on exchange to Oxford from Yale University. Caine encouraged the pupils to interrogate the legacies and ethics of the histories of racial slavery. As a Magdelene College, Oxford University admissions tutor for History, he was also able to give our pupils top tips on UCAS forms, courses, colleges and university choices alongside interview techniques. Over the two-day workshop, Maya and Eva introduced our students to a number of photographers such as Dionne Lee and partners Adam Broomberg and Rafael Gonzalez, alongside techniques such as natural chemigrams (using seawater and objects collected from the castle), blackout poetry, text, collage, scanning. Each pupil ended the 3-day course with a Zine showing their responses to the space and its history which will be exhibited at Portchester Castle in the Autumn.  

The visiting academics and photographers all commented on the sixth form’s exceptional intellectual curiosity and engagement. Thank you to Chloe, George , Arwen, Alice, Tilly, Sophia and Shraddha for throwing yourselves in to the three day workshop. Work can be seen on Instagram @pgs_artdept. 

We are so grateful to everyone who helped create this incredible opportunity – to Eva and Maya who meticulously planned each session and delivered with rigour and kindness, to Katherine and Abi who shared the history of the castle and their passion for it so beautifully, to Caine and Jaleyna who led a riveting and highly informative seminar.  Thank you to Juliette Buss from the national arts charity PhotoWorks for organising the whole event, to English Heritage and the University of Warwick who funded the programme.