Sue Barnes
b. 1953, United Kingdom
d. 2014
The experimental practice of London-born artist and photographer Sue Barnes (1953-2014) encompassed drawing, photography, graphic design, printmaking and typography.
Barnes studied Graphics at the Central School of Art and Design, London (1971-75) and began experimenting with photography. She studied for her MA in Printmaking at the Royal College of Arts, London (1976-79) and while at the RCA, extended her work with photography, often processing her film and making prints in the RCA Photography Department darkroom. With other RCA Printmaking students she produced a conceptual photographic book.
Barnes early work explored feminist themes about self identity, family, and ‘the home’ - in the 1970s and ’80s she made numerous photographic self-portraits; a series of photographic images of objects from the home environment and an on-going, obsessive series of photographs of TV screens; and produced hand-made books that incorporated her photographs with graphics.
Barnes said that she “used photography for 40 years as a way of recording and image-making as part of my fine art practice… developing visual ideas through the lens”. She made stand-alone photographic images as well as experimenting and using photography in conjunction with other media in her various photographic series and book-works.
A very private artist, Barnes only began to exhibit her work towards the end of her life. Her photograhic works have been exhibited in recent years by England & Co at Photo London and Paris Photo.
Her work was included in 'House of the Sleeping Beauties' at S/2 Gallery, Sothebys London; and in 'Womens' Works: Artists working in 1970s & '80s London' at England & Co's project space off Piccadilly in 2023.