It has been two weeks since the unveiling of the photography exhibition ‘Picturing Eccles’, the project that aims to preserve the town’s history.
The photography project by the town’s Photographer in Residence Paula Keenan has been showcased in Eccles Library until Saturday 19 October.
With the plans of regeneration continuing around the town centre, it aimed to capture and preserve the history of both residents and the town.
The project was undertaken by Paula Keenan for nine months, capturing locals and providing some visually stunning pieces of work.
With the project being very important to the future of the town, she reflected on the exhibition, she said: “Picturing Eccles was about finding out what people wanted for the future of Eccles.
“The project has reinforced my belief that people in Eccles are not afraid to speak up for themselves and say what is on their mind.”
She continued to add that people in the town were happy to share the rich history of the town and wanted to make sure “that this is not forgotten.”
Since the unveiling of the project, she spoke on the public response to the project, as she continued: “There have been a lot of positive comments from people looking at the images.
“It is a positive sign when people are talking about Eccles and its past which then leads them to think and talk about the future.”
With the positive conversations, she continued by mentioning why it was the perfect location for the project, as she said: “What I gained most from interacting with the community of Eccles was the sense of pride that the people had.
“Eccles was perfect for this style of project due to the imminent changes that are about to happen and their effect on the community.”
With the developments set to be underway in Eccles, a part of the regeneration of the town, she did mention there was some negativity to the change.
With the demolition of the market already being a hot conversation point amongst locals, she continued by adding: “I was met with some negativity about the development, and change being a waste of time in Eccles.
“When I asked more questions, people started to talk with pride about the Eccles of their youth and jobs they did or shops they visited,” as she added: “Most people spoke freely from the heart.”
Furthermore, throughout the project, she was able to encourage various members of the community to get involved, as Paula continued: “I was very fortunate at the beginning of the project when I contacted existing groups in Eccles.
“The use of Eccles Gateway enabled groups of us to meet on Saturday mornings to discuss the project and explore how we could record what was happening in Eccles. Saturday mornings became regular drop-ins for photographers.”
It is clear that the influence in the area has been very significant to the town, as it looked at the past, and the present with it also providing a chance to “explore what local residents wanted for the future.”
She added: “I wanted to collaborate with as many people as possible to create an honest vision of Eccles.”
With the project on display until October 19, she went on to share one of her favourite memories from the project, she said: “A meeting with the Saturday group, I had the images printed and they were displayed across the tables in Eccles Gateway.
“The photographers arrived and they were looking at their work and that of the other photographers and there was a lot of mutual admiration and compliments.”
It is clear that the project served more than just an exhibition to Paula, but served as a way of connecting the community through history and art.
Allowing people in the community to connect and showcase their talents and techniques to one another whilst preserving the memory of the town.
As Paula finished by saying: “The work is multi-generational, and this is what makes it exciting as a talking point.”
The exhibition can be found showcased in Eccles Library until Saturday 19 October with some amazing pieces of work on display.
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