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Jonathan Olley

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Jonathan Olley (London, United Kingdom, 1967.) is a British photographer known for his work in capturing landscapes characterized by signs of human folly.[1] In addition to his photography, Olley has also pursued roles as a war reporter and a photographer within the motion picture industry.

Early life and education

Olley was born in London, United Kingdom. Following his departure from Chelsea College of Arts, he enrolled in the post-graduate program at the University of Wales Newport School of Documentary Photography.

Early career

In 1989, Olley commenced his career as a freelance press photographer. The following year, in 1990, he was awarded the Nikon Press Award for a photo essay featured in The Independent newspaper.[citation needed] Between 1991 and 1993, Olley reported on events such as the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia for various UK press outlets.[citation needed] At the end of 1993, Olley relocated from London to New York. In 1992, he became a member of London-based Network Photographers while continuing to work as a freelancer. During this time, he initiated a project in New Mexico and Nevada, USA, focusing on the Atomic Bomb.[citation needed]

The Siege of Sarajevo

In 1994, Olley journeyed to Bosnia, where he resided under siege in Sarajevo. During this time, he captured news photographs for various publications including the Boston Globe, Paris Match, L'Express, and The Guardian newspaper.[citation needed] On February 5, 1994, Olley was present during the event commonly referred to as the market massacre in Sarajevo, where 68 people were killed and 200 wounded.[2] Olley's photographs depicting the market massacre were showcased at Visa pour l'Image in Perpignan, France in 1994.[citation needed] His photo essay on Sarajevo also earned him the Observer Hodge Award as Young Photojournalist of the Year in 1995.[citation needed]

Photo essays and personal projects

With the assistance of a bursary, Olley traveled to Japan to finalize his Atom Bomb project, focusing on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The exhibition showcasing his work on the atomic bomb opened at The Photographers' Gallery in London.[citation needed]

In 1996, Olley embarked on a personal project centered on the Newbury Bypass road protests in the forests of Berkshire. This project was intended for inclusion in a group work commemorating the Millennium.[citation needed]

In the 1997 World Press Photo Awards, Olley received two first prizes. He was awarded first prize in the category of 'Nature & Environment' for his essay on the Newbury Bypass road protest,[3] and first prize in the category of 'Arts' for his essay on the Burning Man festival in Nevada.[4] In the same year, Olley initiated a project for an exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS).[citation needed] This project received extensive publication in Britain and Europe and was exhibited in over 50 NHS hospitals across the UK.[citation needed]

At this juncture, Olley initiated a 5x4 landscape project focusing on barracks and police stations in Northern Ireland.[citation needed]

Modern Castles of Northern Ireland

Completed in 1989, Olley's work titled 'Modern Castles of Northern Ireland' documents the architectural landscape shaped by The Troubles of Northern Ireland, including fortified police stations, watchtowers, and army barracks.[5]

Initially published in Source Magazine, Olley's work gained widespread international publication and was subsequently exhibited at the Festival International Du Reportage in Perpignan, France.[citation needed] Subsequently, the work was displayed at various venues including the ICA (London, UK), the Letterkenny Arts Centre (Co. Donegal, Republic of Ireland), and the Noorderlicht Photofestival (Groningen, Netherlands).[citation needed] In 2003, it was acquired for national preservation by the Public Record Office[citation needed] and the Imperial War Museum.[6] In 2010, it was exhibited at Tate Modern in London as part of Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance, and the Camera.[7][8] Additionally, it was published as a book by Factotum in 2007.[9]

Kosovo

In 1999, Olley journeyed to Macedonia during the refugee crisis and continued his work in Kosovo following the liberation. The resulting book, titled Kosovo, was published by Network Photographers in collaboration with the 'Partners'.[citation needed] The book was sold to generate funds for The International Red Cross and included the photography of Sebastião Salgado, Olley, and Joachim Ladeofoged. In 2000, the book received the D&AD (Design & Art Directors) Award for Olley's photography.[citation needed]

Later work

During the 2000s, Olley engaged in several projects, including the color large format landscape project 'Between Home & Heaven' on the uninhabited volcanic Island of Surtsey, Iceland. He also explored 'Fairy Stones,' delving into myth and superstition and its impact on modern Icelandic society, and 'Engineering Nature,' which examined humankind's aspiration to create an 'Edenic' landscape, considering aspects such as land use management, reclamation, leisure use of the landscape, and car culture.[citation needed]

In 2004, Olley journeyed to Iraq to further a project aimed at creating visual art that conceptualizes the relationships between the human and natural worlds.[citation needed]

Currently residing in London, Olley holds a part-time teaching position on the Documentary Photography course at the University of Wales, Newport. However, he continues to work as a freelance photographer, taking on diverse assignments globally.[10]

The Forbidden Forest

"The Forbidden Forest" examines the peripheral effects of warfare on the landscape.[citation needed] The images center on the battle for Verdun, located in Northeast France, known as the 'Zone Rouge', covering approximately 450 square miles (1,200 km2), inaccessible to the public since the armistice of 1918. 'The Forbidden Forest' was showcased alongside 'Castles of Ulster' at Diemar/Noble Photography, London, in 2009.[citation needed]

Movie stills photography

Olley served as a stills photographer on the films Green Zone, United 93, The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty.[2]

References

  1. ^ Beem, Edgar Allen (1 December 2005). "From seawalls to landmines: English photographer Jonathan Olley has turned away from war photography to focus on the environment and the folly of humans". Photo District News. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014.
  2. ^ a b McCauley, Adam (7 January 2013). "Real Photographer, Fake War: Jonathan Olley and Zero Dark Thirty". Time Magazine. Archived from the original on 8 January 2013.
  3. ^ "1997 Jonathan Olley NAS1-LL". www.worldpressphoto.org. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  4. ^ "1997 Jonathan Olley AES1-AL". www.worldpressphoto.org. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  5. ^ "Castles of the North" (PDF). www.coldtype.net. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  6. ^ Imperial War Museum. "Collection: OLLEY JONATHAN". Collection Search. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  7. ^ "Exposed: Jonathan Olley". Tate website. 5 July 2010.
  8. ^ Wallis, Ellie (28 May 2010). "Exposed at Tate". Dazed Digital. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  9. ^ Burgoyne, Patrick (9 May 2007). "Behind The Barricades". Creative Review.
  10. ^ "Castles of Ulster". www.factotum.org.uk. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
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