about
Emma McGarry (b.1996) is a visual photographic artist, writer, curator and graduate of BA (Hons) Photography with International Enhancement based in Manchester, UK. After recently curating Between Spaces (Coventry University Photography Virtual Degree Show 2020), she is now working as a journalist for Agora Digital Art and What A Tune, as well as a Research Assistant at UCA: Farnham.
McGarry's work often explores intangible and complex themes surrounding the human condition, experience, space and time through the photographic medium. She engages with the cathartic and meditative attributes of photography to explore and translate her experience of the quotidian into poetic and illuminating pieces of visual art. In doing so, McGarry provides insight into her perspective gaze and creates space for her viewer to exercise their own imagination and consciousness.
Her work has featured in and curated numerous exhibitions including Between Spaces (2020), Do Not Touch (2019), The Power Of The Inbetween with Andrea Stultiens (2019), Academie Minerva 3rd Year Expo (2019), The Supreme Exodus LAB with Antonio Guzman (2018), Sense of Self Street Exhibition (2018), Space & Place in EXPOSURE Photo Festival (2018), Equality & Diversity (2017) and Introducing... (2016). Additionally, she is engaged with a variety of communities and has worked with The Photographer's Gallery, Agora Digital Art, Music Is To Blame, What A Tune, Tailored Yarn Charity, Photo Archive Miners, Secret Knock Zine, The Herbert Museum and Art Gallery, The Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art, Coventry 2021 City of Culture Sketchbook Project, and Ghost Town Series.
education
2021
Trainee / The Factory Academy's Kickstart Training Academy / Manchester International Festival, UK
2016 - 2020
First Class in BA (Hons) Photography with International Enhancement
/ Coventry University, Coventry, UK
2018 - 2019
Erasmus BA Fine Arts / Academie Minerva, Groningen, Netherlands
2015 - 2016
UAL: Art & Design Foundation Diploma / Bristol School of Art, Bristol, UK
experience
2021 - Present
Research Assistant / NaturalMedia - Storyfutures Seef Funding Project with Dynaimix /
University for The Creative Arts, Farnham, UK
Volunteer Workshop Coordinator / Tailored Yarn Charity School Workshop Project /
Tailored Yarn, Cheshire, UK
So it goes, So it goes Photobook Review / A Young Person Recommends...
/ The Photographer's Gallery London, UK
Journalist & Copywriter / Agora Digital Art / London, UK
Music Journalist / Music Is To Blame / Manchester, UK
Music Journalist / What A Tune / Manchester, UK
Children's Memory Book Workshop Assistant / Tailored Yarn / Cheshire, UK
Freelance Guest Speaker for Degree Show Workshop Series / Coventry University / Coventry, UK
2021
Sunrise (2020) featured in Secret Knock Zine Volume 3, Issue 1
http://secretknockzine.co.uk/issues/v3i1/#page=19
2020
Lead Curator & Virtual Exhibition Designer, Committee Member, Panel Speaker, Featured
Artist / Between Spaces Virtual Degree Show / Coventry, UK www.betweenspaces.co.uk/virtualexhibition
Graduate work featured in Coventry University Online Degree Showcase
www.covdegreeshow.coventry.ac.uk/courses/lens/ba-hons-photography/emma-mcgarry/
Graduate work featured in Source Graduate Photography Online
Graduate work featured in Secret Knock Zine Stay Home Issue
www.secretknock.zine.co.uk/stayhome/
Rotimi Fani Kayode Gallery Talk / Viewpoints Series, Feast for the Eyes
/ The Photographers Gallery, London, UK
Volunteer / Photo Archive Miners / Coventry, UK
Events Photographer & Ambassador / Ghost Town Series x Madam X
/ Coventry, UK
2019
Exhibition Invigilator / Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art / Coventry City Centre, Coventry, UK
Artist Contributor / 2021 City of Culture Sketchbook / Coventry, UK
Opening Night Events Photographer / Product Personality Cycle by
Johann Koop / Arcadia Gallery, Coventry, UK
Co-Director, Curator, Featured Artist / Do Not Touch Exhibition
/ Vrijdag, Groningen, The Netherlands
Featured Artist / Academie Minerva 3rd Year Expo
/ Frank Mohr Insistute, Groningen, The Netherlands
Co-Curator, Featured Artist / The Power Of The Inbetween with Andrea Stultiens
/ Frank Mohr Insistute, Groningen, The Netherlands
2018
Featured artist (Photographer of Performance) / The Supreme Exodus LAB by
Antonio Jose Guzman / Frank Mohr Institute, Groningen, The Netherlands
Committee Member, Engagement & Workshop Leader, Featured Artist for
EXPOSURE 24hr Photo Festival / CET Building, Coventry, UK
Artist, Director, Installer / Sense of Self Street Exhibition by
Emma McGarry & Muhammad Usamah / Coventry City Centre, Coventry, UK
Learning Assistant / The Herbert Museum & Art Gallery / Coventry, UK
ACA Adobe Photoshop Certified Associate / Coventry University, Coventry, UK
2016 - 2017
Photographer / The Tab / Coventry,UK
2015 - 2016
Volunteer Teaching Assistant / Art & Technology Department, Downend Secondary School
/ Bristol, UK
exhibitions
2020
Lead Curator & Virtual Exhibition Designer, Committee Member, Panel Speaker,
Featured Artist / Between Spaces Virtual Degree Show / Coventry, UK (www.betweenspaces.co.uk/virtualexhibition)
2019
Co-Director, Co-Curator, Featured Artist / Do Not Touch Exhibition
/ Vrijdag, Groningen, The Netherlands
Featured Artist / Academie Minerva 3rd Year Expo
/ Frank Mohr Insistute, Groningen, The Netherlands
Co-Curator, Featured Artist / The Power Of The Inbetween with Andrea Stultiens
/ Frank Mohr Insistute, Groningen, The Netherlands
2018
Featured Artist (Photographer of Performance) / The Supreme Exodus LAB by Antonio Jose Guzman
/ Frank Mohr Institute, Groningen, The Netherlands
Featured Artist and Co-Curator Committee Member, Engagement & Workshop Leader, Featured Artist, EXPOSURE 24hr Photo Festival / CET Building, Coventry, UK
Artist, Director, Installer / Sense of Self Street Exhibition
/ Coventry City Centre, Coventry, UK
2017
Featured Artist, Equality & Diversity Exhibition
/ Coventry University, UK
2016
Featured Artist, Introducing... Exhibition
/ Coventry University, UK