Photography project by homeless and street attached people begins at Torre Abbey

A photography project that began life as a pop-up attraction at a Torquay arts festival last year is featuring in an eight-week exhibition at Torre Abbey.

Last autumn, homeless and street attached people and Leonard Stocks hostel residents were given 21 disposable cameras to capture images that reflected their own personal experiences.

inDISPOSABLE, the exhibition of those images, was first shown last October at This is your Circus, a three-day street festival aimed at rejuvenating and revitalising Castle Circus and Union Street.

The gallery of works appeared in a pop-up shop in Union Street, which hundreds of people visited during the weekend.

The exhibition, now running at Torre Abbey until Sunday 15 March, includes self-portraits, architecture, nature and everyday household objects.

The exhibition of inDISPOSABLE at the abbey is particularly meaningful given the abbey’s history as a site for housing and feeding those in need. As well as caring for the sick and poor, it was customary for the abbey to offer one night's free board-and-lodge to travellers.

To acknowledge this, a selection of oil paintings from the abbey’s collection have been curated alongside the work of five inDISPOSABLE artists.

Jackie Thomas, Cabinet Member for Tourism, Culture & Events and Corporate Services, said: “This exhibit really struck a chord when it was first displayed at This is your Circus. Many people have perceptions of what it means to be homeless or street attached and the exhibition challenged some of those opinions. These images gave the community a chance to have their say – through the medium of photography.

“I’m pleased to see it transfer to Torre Abbey. It ensures that the success of This is your Circus lives on. We always wanted the event to be the start of something and this partnership with Torre Abbey shows it is.”

inDISPOSABLE is conceived and curated by creative director Jamie Lewis-Hadley.

Jamie said: “I couldn’t be happier to present inDISPOSABLE at Torre Abbey. It feels like a completely new exhibition and looks spectacular in the Green Galleries. It’s a privilege to be working with these artists, and I’m delighted to present their work alongside beautiful paintings from the abbey’s collection. 

“Having the confidence to host the project speaks of the Abbey’s commitment to their ‘spirit of place’ ethos – creating a safe and welcoming space where everyone’s voice is heard and lived experiences are valued.”

inDISPOSABLE runs at Torre Abbey until Sunday 15 March.

Torre Abbey is free until Sunday 1 February in celebration of the inDISPOSABLE exhibition.