Photographic work included in two group shows 'Ruination: Photographs of Rome', Nottingham University, Nottingham, and 'Responding to Rome: British Artists in Rome, 1995-2005', Estorick Collection, London

Richard Billingham was awarded a Sargant Fellowship at the British School at Rome in 2002. Amongst the work he made there were a number of black and white photographs of ancient Roman architecture that paid homage to the photographs made of ruins in the 19th century. They attempted to embody some of the authority and wonder these ancient remains still retain over modern day visitors to Rome. From these black and white images, three were selected to be in the following two group shows that focused on Rome: ‘Ruination – Rome’ Group show, Djanogly Gallery, Nottingham University, 23rd February to 6th April 2008, curated by Richard Wrigley and Neil Walker and ‘Responding to Rome, British Artists in Rome 1995 – 2005’, group show, Esoteric Collection of Italian Modern Art, London, 18 January 2006 - 26 March 2006, curated by Jacapo Benci. Exhibition one – ‘Ruination – Rome’ Group show, Djanogly Gallery, Nottingham University. Rome has been a compelling subject for photographers since the medium's earliest days. Images of Rome originally served as forms of truthful witness to the artistic splendours of the past. Once valued as replications of antique architecture and sculpture in situ, it is now their extraordinary power as images - their technical and artistic subtlety - which allows them to transcend their function as homages to the city. Ruination brings together a series of arresting images of Rome produced by photographers of the mid-nineteenth and late-twentieth centuries. Richard Billingham had three large framed photographic works selected, other contemporary artists included Olivio Barbieri, Fiona Crisp and John Riddy. There was a fully illustrated catalogue of the exhibition published 2008 published by the Djanogly Gallery with an essay by Richard Wrigley. There was an illustrated introduction to ‘Ruination’ by exhibition curator Richard Wrigley 8th March at the Djanogly Art Gallery Lecture Theatre There were also two illustrated lectures by Fiona Crisp relating her experience during her scholarship at the British School in Rome and Katharina Lorenz from the University’s Department of Classics who spoke about representations of the classical and modern city. Exhibition two - ‘Responding to Rome, British Artists in Rome 1995 – 2005’, group show, Esoteric Collection of Italian Modern Art, London ‘Responding to Rome’ was supported by the Henry Moore Foundation and showed the work of thirty-five selected contemporary British artists who were awarded scholarships at the British School at Rome from 1995 – 2005. All the works exhibited were either realised during the artists’ stay in Rome or as a direct consequence of it, and they have given shape to their Roman and Italian experience in a wide variety of media. In widely differing ways, all works bore witness to the unfathomable allure and wealth of Rome. The exhibition illustrated how the traditional Grand Tour evolved into a lively, contemporary experience, and how diversity in the practice of and approach to visual art is encouraged and facilitated at the British School at Rome. Richard Billingham had three large framed photographic pieces included. Both Billingham and John Riddy explored quintessentially Roman images in their large black and white photographs Colosseum and Trajan’s Markets. Smith/Stewart created a three-minute colour film entitled Lovers, Rome, whilst Marion Coutt’s colour film followed four human bearers as they processed through the streets of Rome carrying a life-size model of a horse. Kit Wise’s Marmor (after Bernini) presented a novel reinterpretation of Bernini’s renowned Ecstasy of St Teresa, whilst Adam Chodzko’s installation recorded his attempt to reunite the actors from Salo, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s violently disturbing film about the last days of Fascism. Other artists in the exhibition included Mark Wallinger, Jaki Irvine, Sophy Rickett, John Riddy, Tim Stoner, Suzan Trangmar and Alison Turnbull. There was a fully illustrated catalogue to the exhibition published by The British School at Rome 2006 with essays by Jacapo Benci, Jenni Lomax (director, Camden Arts Center), and Andrew Wallica Hadrill (Director British School at Rome).