A major survey exhibition of photographer and multidisciplinary artist Joy Gregory is opening at Arnolfini on October 17.
The show, titled Catching Flies with Honey, features more than 150 works and runs until February 7, 2027. It is part of the third biennial Bristol Photo Festival, which this year is themed Time Machine.
A landmark event
Gregory reflected on the personal significance of this landmark event, and on some of the photographers who have influenced her practice.
“It is amazing to have so many of my works, many of which have never been seen before, out in the world,” she said.
“At the same time, it is overwhelming to hear the constant refrain, ‘What are you going to do next?’ It seems like the obvious question when something is ‘complete’, but it is probably the question that most creative people dread the most.”
The need to make and create things
The key driver behind Gregory’s work hasn’t changed over the decades: it is simply the need to make and create things.
“For me, it is almost like breathing; I can’t imagine not doing it,” she said.
Deadlines, however, are a different matter. They compel Gregory to make things within a particular timeframe. That was true when she was a student, and it is still true today.
“I like having a deadline because it brings things to a close,” she said. “This is clearly demonstrated by the Kalahari project, which eventually became The Last Speakers. After 20 years of research and reflection, I feel that the project has finally reached its conclusion.”
Gregory’s photographic practice has supported a strong empathy with others, which she thinks has been a really important part of her work.
“I am driven by a desire to understand other people’s experiences of the world, and I have always been much more of a listener than a speaker,” she said.
Spending so many years making self-portraits has helped Gregory to understand other people a little better. It has given her a sense of what it feels like to be in front of the camera, and of the vulnerability involved, alongside the generosity of putting oneself in front of her lens and opening oneself up to the scrutiny of unseen eyes.
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Gregory’s work encompasses not only photography but film, installation and textiles. She sees them all as part of the same practice.
“They relate to photography in one way or another, whether through the lens itself or through the way materials respond to light,” she said. “For me, they are all part of the experimentation and testing that lie at the heart of my practice.”
Gregory likes to try out lots of different things. It is like going on a journey along a path without an end, where everything is a surprise. She never really wants to do the same thing twice. She wants to challenge herself, push her practice forward and test the limits of the materials she works with. That has always been central to the way she works.
Looking back at her work over the decades, Gregory finds it difficult to choose particular pieces, or eras, of which she is most proud.
“Sometimes you might look at a work and think, ‘Yes, this is the best work,’ but I’m not sure that can ever really be true,” she said. “I feel that each work is a building block for the next, and the one after that. Each one teaches me something new.”
Influences and Turning Points
Gregory mentions several photographers who have influenced her practice. Don McCullin was the first photographer whose work she encountered, and he inspired her to pursue photography.
She also cites Martin Parr as an early influence, recalling his appearance on television when photographers were rarely seen in the media. Gregory is eager to see the work of George Hallett at the festival, as she feels she hasn’t had enough opportunities to experience it in person.
When asked about turning points in her career, Gregory highlights several works that have challenged her understanding of herself as a creative practitioner. These include Objects of Beauty, Memory and Skin, The Sweetest Thing, and Observations: Rose and Observations: A Little Breeze from Seeds of Empire.
She also mentions Invisible Breath, which is not part of the current exhibition, as a work that shifted her perception of what her practice might be.
The Bristol Photo Festival and Beyond
Gregory’s exhibition is part of the biennial Bristol Photo Festival, which runs from October 14 to November 15. The festival’s official opening event takes place at the Welcome Building on October 14 from 6-9 pm.
The festival features multiple events, talks, and exhibitions in venues around the city, including the Welcome Building, which will host five exhibitions. Gregory is excited to see the work of other photographers participating in the festival, particularly those whose practices she hasn’t encountered before.