Portfolio
Two Sides of the Same Coin
An ongoing collaborative project that was inspired by the apparent divide in Plymouth’s LGBTQIA+ and wider historical narrative, as well as Beryl Cook’s ‘Lockyer Street Tavern’ (1976) which looks at what was Plymouth’s secretive queer back bar, Two Sides of the Same Coin set out to build both a space and an archive that highlights the intersectionality of such a historically queer city. In 2023 the team collected local LGBTQIA+ stories about the spaces that they feel safe in the city to become the basis for the archive, allowing the public to later reflect on these stories before adding their own. This was to put LGBTQIA+ voices at the front of the archival process, while still opening it up to different members of the community to highlight the tangible existence these experiences have in shaping the city. This phase culminated in the creation of a ‘pub bar’ setting that was installed in the middle of the city centre, turning the highstreet into a space of familiarity and community. Pre-recorded stories were visible as a part of the bartop, and could also be listened to on a rotary-style telephone. These stories, as well as the setting and Cam’s paintings along one side of the bar acted as prompts to encourage the public to take part in the project and consider their own social spaces within the city. If you are interested in the project and wish to know more, contact Geddon.QDC@gmailcom.
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Bread. 2023.
Acrylic paint on reclaimed wood.
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Bread and Roses, or 'Bread' or 'Broses' as it is locally known, is a social enterprise pub in the city of Plymouth. This painting is a self-portrait of the artist, looking up at the mirror behind the bar, surrounded by both familiar and unfamiliar faces.
SHARED SPACE. 2022
A pop-up exhibition in the artist's courtyard, shared by two other flats in a converted townhouse, SHARED SPACE featured paintings of the human and non-human social elements of the space. Painted on scrap materials found within, or close to the courtyard, these works provided a meta-narrative that encouraged discussions around social relationships with the inanimate and the communal ownership of private property.
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Queer Space. 2022.
Continuing the narrative of SHARED SPACE, this exhibition that was held as a part of Queer District Collective's First Thursday exhibitions was held across two locations within the recently coined 'Queer District' of Plymouth. This exhibition looked at the landmarks of the district, the community I had found there, and encouraged audiences to move between the venues to explore the area with a new perspective.
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Test Space @ 37 Looe Street
One year on from my Queer Space exhibition, a collection of my artwork was presented at 37 Looe Street, detailing the progression of my research during that year.
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Espais/Socials. 2023.
During her time at the residential programme at Can Serrat, Catalunya, Cam Williamson continued her exploration of social relationships with space in an environment and community that was unfamiliar to her, providing a rare chance to document the growth of an international community and how the spaces they shared became a part of the community itself. Drawing from the local landscape and the range of practices of the other residents, Cam documented her time at the base of Montserrat through painting, drawing, and creative writing. This practice was developed into a short publication about her experiences, the differences and similarities between the communities of her home city and the surrounding areas of Can Serrat, social relationships with the land in both countries, and dealing with grief in an unfamiliar environment.
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