REVIEW: Nature through the Lens

Crop Up Gallery are a student run group from the University of Nottingham who exhibit art shows throughout the year, their first show last year, ‘Illuminate’, was a big success and no doubt their second exhibition, which opened on Friday 15^th March, will be any less so. The show, called ‘Nature through the Lens’, showcases the photography of students from Nottingham, in particular the scientific aspect of nature, but not strictly. 

The exhibition is currently being held at the P Spowage gallery in Nottingham, a central location in a trendy area, next to Coco Tang and Dogma to name a few of the hot spots surrounding it. To reach the display you make your way up two flights of stairs, passing by fairy lights, fashionable merchandise and a selection of colourful artwork for sale. Walking in on the opening night you would have been greeted with a bar serving wine and refreshments whilst soft, smooth music set the tone for the evening. One thing which particularly impressed me was how the exhibition was buzzing from the opening at 7.30 and continued to draw more attention throughout the night, not just from university students but a wide range of ages and sorts.

The art itself is undoubtedly impressive for such young photographers. Each artist conveys their own sense of nature through their camera, some combining science with the environment, others capturing exceptional moments from nature with their lens. The majority of the artists are from the University of Nottingham, each doing different degrees but with the same enthusiasm for photography. One artist who really stood out from the exhibition was Tom Reed, his photos of birds flying across a lake and an endearing sea lion stroking its face in particular drew a lot of attention from the bustling crowd because of the high definition in the photos, his curious choice of editing his work to high contrast black and white, as well as his appealing subjects. 

  

One of the big hits of the show!

The great thing about this exhibition is its central location and therefore definitely worth a visit if you are in town. Crop Up will be planning their next exhibition for some time in the next academic year so watch this space, I sense big things from the group. 

Me at the gallery

‘Nature through the Lens’ is open till the 23^rd March at P Spowage Gallery Nottingham.