A NEW gallery is aiming to kickstart a photography renaissance in Newport after opening its doors in the city’s iconic Market Arcade.
Ffoto Newport is the brainchild of local snapper Ieuan Berry, who wants to put Newport back on the map as a photography hub by creating a space for local photographers to showcase their work – regardless of their abilities.
Drawing in a crowd of photography enthusiasts and professionals, the gallery officially opened on Friday, November 26, with the exhibition ‘Carrot Fly’ by seasoned Newport snapper Ron McCormick.
“The aim is to bring photography back to Newport,” Ieuan told the Argus.
“We’ve got such a great photography history here – Newport itself is such a great place to take photos.
“I came up with the idea when I was talking to Ron [McCormick] at the Red Lion pub on Stow Hill.
“We both felt that Newport really needed something like this – a platform for all photographers, at all different ability levels to get the chance to show their work.
“It’s also about bringing together and promoting the local area through what we do.”
And there’s no better location to celebrate Newport’s photographic past than in one of its most historic buildings. The Grade II listed Market Arcade, which is in the middle of a seven-figure restoration project, is the second oldest Victorian arcade in Wales – dating back to 1869.
Incidentally, one of the city’s first camera shops, Harris and Co Photography, was also one of the first stores to make home in the arcade – something that Ieuan says makes the location of the gallery that little bit more special.
“Being able to open in Market Arcade is brilliant – to be surrounded by so much history is an inspiration for what we’re trying to do with this gallery.
“We got the building at the end of October – it’s been a really quick turnaround to get everything ready in time.
“We had a few setbacks, but we got there in the end and opened on the same weekend as the Art on the Hill festival.
“It was a great event – we had people travel from Bristol, Swansea and Gloucester to the launch. We even got people coming over from Ireland soon.”
Ieuan hopes that the gallery’s intimate space will help bring up and coming photographers closer to their heroes.
“Newport has a great reputation for photography – especially when we had the Documentary Photography course at Caerleon which was run by Magnum’s David Hurn.
“It’s a small space we’ve got here but it provides a real opportunity for people to come along and meet some of these amazing photographers that they idolise.
“We’re hoping to utilise the gallery more in future and run some workshops. We’re also on the lookout for volunteers to help us out.”
Ffoto Newport will be open from Friday to Sunday every week, 12pm to 6pm. Anybody that wishes to show their work in the gallery can put in a request by emailing ffotonewport@gmail.co.uk.
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