Erika Cann – F16 Film Camera Store Award

We are delighted to announce that the winner of the F16 Film Camera Store Award is Erika Cann.

Statement:

My current area of research is Dartmoor National Park. A list of 38 routes first named and climbed in 1999, the artist’s birth year, holds an exploration between body, geology, and place name. Through travelling to each location, the 22 years since their first climbing is revealed within the rock. Some are completely overgrown, forgotten or too hard to repeat, while others have become popular routes, changing the landscape through erosion and ‘polishing’ the
rock through increased activity.

Feldspar crystals, handholds emerging from the granite, become a medium for movement, language, and
imprint. Ephemeral traces of chalk from the climber’s hand, dusted onto the rock through grip, is often the only marking of the route. Dispersed throughout the National Park, the igneous tors coalesce into a deep mapping of the moors. From disused quarries, to popular tourist spots, to areas since revoked of their public access, the list investigates the moor through a vertical mapping and a non-cartographic exploration of environment.

The list acts as a collection, a marker of time and change on the moors, and as a question for how they might change in the future. The climbs highlight the changing demographics of climbing and the outdoors; descriptions of the routes lend themselves to the male body and the naming of some of the climbs is derogatory. Imagery documenting these climbs can appear very similar, but each route holds its own collection of narrative which is revealed through climbing it.
Language plays a key role in the project. The landscapes and rocks are imbued with words; from navigational instruction, to specialist language in climbing, to ancient and almost forgotten words derived from the moors. Non-human forms of communication are also explored through geological structures such as the feldspar crystals that pattern the granite faces. A granite glossary is currently being constructed to gather these multiple meanings surrounding Dartmoor as an act of sharing
experience and providing a broader view of the environment.

Erika Cann is an artist whose home lies between the granite tors of Dartmoor National Park and the dynamic cliffs of the Jurassic Coast. Her work investigates place through accounts, both historical and contemporary, within the guides and maps of an area. She navigates the environment through climbing – pushing, pulling, jamming and squeezing her way up and through time, geologies and
accumulated narratives.

You can view the selected image in the gallery below:

Synopsis:

“Due to the ongoing global pandemic, students across the country have had to once again adapt to a world without degree shows or public events. As recent graduates, we know how frustrating and difficult it is to get your work seen by people within your relevant industries and by relevant organisations, which is why this year we are delighted to once again offer an online graduate showcase and offer you the opportunity to have your work shared on our platforms, as well as be in for the chance to win some prizes.”

All of our shortlisted artists will have their work shared on the Collective website and Instagram over the next few weeks. If you were not selected this time, do not feel hard done by! The quality of submissions was at such a high standard, we had to make tough decisions and simply could not pick everyone.

We look forward to bringing you news about our next physical exhibition and more opportunities in 2021!

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