24-27 September, NN Contemporary Art Project Space.

Image: Eve and Adam (2024), Rhys Thirtle

For our final Professional Development Residency Award 2024 we are delighted to present an exhibition of new photographic work by Rhys Thirtle.

Entitled Reclaiming End: Queer Power and Love, Rhys has reinterpreted the story of Eden through a queer lens, emphasising empowerment, love, and resistance. The series, which uses Polari to reflect queer history, combines traditional portrait styles with modern twists and Renaissance influences. This immersive experience aims to provoke thought, celebrate diversity, and inspire a deeper understanding of love and power in all its forms.

Rhys Thirtle is a contemporary photographer whose work delves into the intricate intersections of identity, expression, and queer culture. A graduate of the University of Northampton, Rhys’s photography often explores themes of LGBT+ experiences, challenging conventional norms and inviting viewers to contemplate diverse meanings of identity and acceptance. His projects, such as those featured on Obsessionism Photography, are known for their evocative storytelling, which engages the audience and leaves them intrigued, bridging past, present, and future to foster dialogue and understanding in a society grappling with notions of gender, sexuality, and belonging.

The exhibition will be open 24-27 September, 11-5pm with a private view on the 26, 6-8pm. All Welcome.

The Professional Development Residency Awards (PDRA) is a partnership between NNCA and the University of Northampton, organisations that are both passionately committed to making Northampton a culturally rich place in which to live, study, and visit. Our common objectives are: creative research in art and design, public and community engagement, local growth and regeneration, and skills development, enterprise and employment.