Transport for LondonThreads: Nadia Bettega
Exploring portraiture and place with young people
from Brent Youth Inclusion Programme
Nadia Bettega, Threads, 2010.
Kingsbury and Charing Cross Underground stations, February 2010
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Threads, a new project for Kingsbury and Charing Cross stations draws inspiration from the common expression, 'travel expands the mind'. Young people from Brent Youth Inclusion Programme set out from their local Underground station Neasden to join photographer Nadia Bettega on a week-long journey to explore portraiture and place through photography. Together they visited significant places in Brent, located along the Jubilee line, including, Wembley Park Underground station and Wembley Stadium.
Everyone kept a daily journal in which they developed their ideas about the different people who might work at or visit each location. Building upon this, each participant then 'acted out' their own imaginary character in front of the camera and Bettega recorded their reflections on the day.
The group also visited exhibitions by international artists and photographers at Camden Arts Centre near Finchley Road Underground station and The Photographers' Gallery in central London, to develop their knowledge of portraiture.
Bettega has produced a series of photographic portraits that are being exhibited at Kingsbury and Charing Cross Underground stations. The photographs reflect the variety of responses within the group to a single place at a specific moment in time, and also chart each individual's creative progress across the week.
Threads is one of a series of projects commissioned by Art on the Underground for the Jubilee line, exploring time and its value.
For this project, Art on the Underground worked in collaboration with the Brent Youth Inclusion Programme (YIP), a Brent Council programme that provides positive activities for young people aged 8 - 17 years, living in Church End or Roundwood.
Thumbnail gallery
Links
Nadia Bettega www.nadiabettega.com
Comments
nadia-bettega
I was startled by the image looking out at me as I rushed up from the escalator at Sloane Square! It is so nice to celebrate real people in an art form - instead of advertising!!! Lovely image, thank you Nadia Bettega wherever you are!
Eileen Cole
nadia-bettega
Really cool positive piece of work. Hope I have a chance to see it in real life at some point
Miriam Mason-Sesay
nadia-bettega
I love the work at Charing Cross station - funny, empowering and surprising. Congratulations to all involved!
jmcl
nadia-bettega Underground Photos
Uplifting, positive and funny images of young people. I have read about the project and it seems such a good idea. Well done Bettega and well done young people, your poses are great.
nadia-bettega
Saw this on my way to work this morning & it stopped me in my tracks. Just the thing for a wet, miserable day - cheerful, young faces full of optimisim, joy and confidence. And the imaginative way they interpreted their surroudnings is great. What a wonderful celebration of young poeple. Thank you.
Vicky Trimikliniotis
nadia-bettega
it is fantastic work, well done!
nadia-bettega
love the phone/temple shot