We Are Singleton: Portrait of a Town

We Are Singleton: portrait of a town is the first instalment in a long-term portrait project by photographer Edwina Richards. As the first exhibition in the newly built Singleton Arts and Cultural Centre, it is appropriate that Richards’ work celebrates the unique and diverse identity of Singleton in 2022. 

We Are Singleton is a carefully researched response to contemporary life in the town, drawing on a rich photographic history that fascinated the artist during her previous bicentennial contribution Well…You Haven’t Changed in 2020. Richards was amazed by the photographic archive to be explored in Singleton and has now sought to honour and pay homage to the town’s adventurous spirit, building on the past to track the community’s evolution.

Storytelling is a key element of Richards’ approach, and her portraits joyfully narrate the everyday lives of people connected by place. Each portrait has been photographed in a location which is important to the subject, reflecting their experience of life in Singleton. Richards has created a travelling studio to achieve this, bringing the white walls of the gallery outside in the rich tradition of ‘street studio’ photography. These images are available to be viewed both in the Singleton Arts and Cultural Centre and as paste-ups in surprising public locations. Together they tell unique stories about Singleton – the place and the people.

We Are Singleton is an ongoing project, which will continue throughout the year. The next phase calls for local photographers and documentary / public art enthusiasts to become involved, and also offers the chance for community members to nominate new subjects.