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About us

Established in 2012, our Centre is an inter-disciplinary group based in the School of Historical Studies, led by Dr Patrizia Di Bello and Professor Steve Edwards.

We have links with museums in London and support the school's teaching and research on photography through the MA in History of Art with Photography and MPhil/PhD supervision.

Our research focus

  • We recognise that photography as a medium is many things, including art, science, commerce, legal or historical evidence and emotional memento.
  • We are interested in the materiality of photography throughout the arc of its life, specifically how it is:
    • taken
    • realised as a tactile as well as visual object (album, print, poster, book, magazine, file, screen)
    • circulated in contexts that might differ widely throughout the lifetime of the photograph (from document  to ‘art')
    • viewed in specific ideological, historical and material circumstances (in the lab, at home, in the gallery, on the phone).

Our aims

  • We aim to facilitate, exchange and showcase new and existing research on photography's history and theory, both at Birkbeck and in the wider photographic and academic community.
  • We are committed to working collaboratively and with a range of outputs:
    • reading groups
    • seminars
    • conferences
    • collaborations with participating museums and institutions.

Steering Group