Sunderland photography lecturer in the frame for Portrait of Britain
A photographic portrait of a member of the medical engineering staff at Newcastle Hospitals has been included in the latest Portrait of Britain collection.
The powerful image of Yann Kimpouni, which made the shortlist of the annual competition, was taken by University of Sunderland photography lecturer, Johannah Churchill.
Published by the British Journal of Photography, the photo makes up part of Johannah’s NHS Darkroom series, which was launched by the Newcastle Hospitals Charity in May 2023.
Johannah is a renowned photographer who trained to be a nurse at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital from 2007 to 2010 and created the haunting image Melanie, March 2020, which helped define the UK’s battle against COVID-19.
She said: “Newcastle Hospitals Charity is supporting NHS workers to celebrate their own colleagues and contributions to high quality healthcare delivery by photographing each other at work.
“As well as being photographed by me, the project offers a little time for reflection and some cross-disciplinary team building as well as all the marvellous positive aspects of working in a black and white darkroom.
“We are looking at what it is to care and bringing visibility to some of its impacts. Slowing down is key. Not something that is easily found these days. Last year’s group were an absolute dream to work with. It’s not an easy time to be in the NHS, and it is so vital to make sure we don’t take people for granted.”
The NHS Darkroom exhibition can be viewed on Level 3 of the Leazes Wing at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), or Level 2 at the Freeman Hospital on the corridor leading to the Northern Centre for Cancer Care. Phase two of the project will soon be on display outside the RVI site.