James Clifford Kent returns to Oriel Colwyn – the home of his first exhibition Memories of a Lost Shark (2013) – to share stories about his continuing work in the UK and Cuba.
James Clifford Kent is a London-based photographer and lectures on visual culture at Royal Holloway, University of London. His socially-engaged practice and collaborative projects involve connecting people through the power of visual storytelling.
His award-winning work exploring untold stories and marginalised communities has been published widely, featuring in the press (The Times and The British Journal of Photography) and world-leading journals (The Lancet, History of Photography & Royal Photographic Society Journal).
James has also exhibited work and supported curatorial projects at Royal Academy of Arts & The Photographers’ Gallery, and facilitated workshops and delivered keynote talks at prestigious institutions, including The British Library and Fototeca de Cuba. His first book – Aesthetics and the Revolutionary City – was published in 2019 and he was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society in 2022.
James has traveled regularly to Cuba since 2004, covering historical events such as the funeral procession of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro in 2016. His award-winning project “¡No hay más na’!” (There’s Nothing Left, 2022–24) documents narratives of survival in crisis-hit Cuba.
Other recent work capturing expectant parents and healthcare workers’ experiences of pregnancy/birth has involved collaborating with NHS England (2022-24) and contributing to a broader conversation on health and social welfare.
He is currently working on his first photobook – Yuma – about his experiences living and working on the island between 2004-2024.
www.jckent.com
Cary, Axiuli & Haytoo, ©James Clifford Kent
Gema Montoya – NHS midwife, ©James Clifford Kent