A renowned Belfast photographer whose work is the subject of a new exhibition documenting the city during the Troubles says it has changed dramatically.
Unseen work by Sean McKernan, co-founder of the Belfast Exposed gallery, will be on display in the Donegall Street centre until 16 September.
Spanning four decades, the Unexposed exhibition examines the challenges and resilience of a divided society, capturing moments that reveal both conflict and hope. It presents a selection of never-before-seen images and photographic sequences, providing a unique insight into McKernan’s extensive archive.
“The exhibition really gave me an opportunity to delve into some of the unexplored archives,” the photographer said.
“A lot of the images are tinged with sadness, particularly those captured during the Troubles and the dark, dark period that that was.
“Belfast is a renaissance city, it has changed dramatically from those days.
“The photographs are important and tell a story of that time, but the essential part is that they tell the stories behind the photographs.”
Having co-founded Belfast Exposed in 1983 with friend Danny Burke and directed the project up to 2000, McKernan says the new exhibition still only scratches the surface of the half a million photographs that have been collected by the gallery.
“Although my visit only scratched the surface of this vast archive, it gave me an emotional glimpse into the past, allowing me to rediscover faces, places and moments that had long been forgotten.
“It also propelled me back to memories of more often disturbing than joyful events. Each 35mm frame is engrained with its own narrative, waiting to be uncovered and understood, its appeal transcending the mere aesthetic beauty of these images.
“This brief encounter with the archive evoked many feelings tinged with nostalgia, mystery, sadness and joy.”
