Celebrating the 25^th anniversary of Coventry City’s FA Cup

‘The scene is colourful, the mood is optimistic; the stage is set for the 106^th FA Cup final’

John Motson

On 16 May 1987 Coventry City played Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup final at Wembley. Coventry were appearing in the final for the first time in their 104 year history. Tottenham Hotspur had reached the final seven times before and had never lost. The stage was set for one of the greatest FA Cup finals ever.

This exhibition celebrates the 25^th anniversary of Coventry City’s famous victory. Using photography, film, and fan memorabilia, the exhibition guides the visitor through a brief history of the club, each game of the 1986-7 cup run, the memorable final and the return of the conquering heroes. You can re-live the excitement of the Cup win and record your own memories of the occasion in the Memories section.

The exhibition includes newly commissioned work by photographer Paul Smith and sound artist Duncan Whitley. Paul’s photographic portraits of the FA Cup winning team pay homage to the players and evoke a sense of nostalgia for the good old days. Working with archival recordings from Highfield Road, Duncan Whitley has composed a new soundwork, which gives visitors thechance to experience what it might have been like to walk out of the Wembley Stadium tunnel on FA Cup final day.

Tom Hunter

Tom Hunter in conversation

6 – 7pm, Thursday 17 November 2011

PACCAR Room, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon

Tom Hunter speaks to Martin Barnes, Senior Curator of Photography at the V&A, about this work and influences.

FREE but tickets required, call 0844 800 1114 to book.

A photographic exhibition by acclaimed artist Tom Hunter, inspired by Shakespeare’s play and set in Hackney, East London, where the artist lives and works. Hunter’s reimagining of the play features local people and communities from his neighbourhood including samba dancers, a thrash metal band and pearly kings and queens.
PACCAR Room,
Royal Shakespeare Theatre,
Waterside,
Stratford upon Avon
CV37 6BB

A new photographic commission for the RSC
Exhibition continues until 1 April 2012

Image: And I serve the Fairy Queen ©Tom Hunter

Watch the opening night video at:

Myths by – Rankin and Damien Hirst

As the regimental photographer at the time I got the unfortunate task of photographing every piece of shrapnel that was found at the site. Two weeks of constant image making of metal fragments put an end to any desire to follow this pathway once I finished in the services. But it wasn’t the end to my interest in shrapnel. The objects that I photographed were uninspiring to look at and even less inspiring to photograph, but they were vital to the investigation.

Fast-forwards now to my current work ‘Impact’ and obvious influences can be draw, the tiny fragment that on it’s own means little, but coupled with the story embedded within it and it’s suddenly charged with an authority that it previously lacked. The content of the image is the same but the abstract object is drawn into sharp focus.

All of the images from the series have been used in gun crime, some in fatal shootings others have been dug out of walls after missing their targets.

The image below for example has the embossed markings from the material of a bulletproof vest that was worn by a police officer.

This project has relied upon the help and support of a forensic lab, but I’m always on the lookout for new objects so if you have any ideas of how to find more objects then message me.

I will be posting information on whats going on in my life and work + sites that interest me, ideas that I would like to share.

My previous blog - Photography BA will now be replaced by CU Photography and managed by Matt Johnston so if you’re after information on BA Photography course that I run at Coventry University then follow the CU link.

Keep watching and sharing.

Thanks Paul