The Library Bar

FINAL WEEKS: ENDS SAT 25 JAN 2020

Gillian Hyland creates supernatural staged images, presented as film stills or dramatic moments. Her narrative photographs are psychologically evocative – at once sublimely theatrical yet poignant. Frozen in time, solitary and vulnerable moments are presented in glorious technicolour and on timeless sets.

Hyland describes herself as an image maker and storyteller. Originally from Ireland, now living in Clapton, east London her career began in publishing, where she worked as a fashion stylist and features writer for a number of well-known national magazines. This led to a move into the television industry, and later into the film industry, where she worked as stylist, set designer and art director.

Since 2007, Hyland has created a portfolio that encompasses imagery for fashion shoots, commercials and advertising campaigns. This diverse background has nurtured her passion for making images, now evolved into her own highly distinctive photographic style.

Hyland published her first fine art series ‘Words in Sight’ in 2014; since then her photographs have been exhibited around the world most recently with solos shows in London (After Nyne Gallery & Amar Gallery), Rome (Mucciaccia Contemporary), Lisbon (Palacio Galveias) and Sydney (Head on Photo Festival). Awards include UK Seaward Photography Award, Gold Medal – USA Fabrik Street Photography Awards and Travel Photography Society awards (all 2017). In 2017 Hyland was named International Photographer of the Year (Children)

“It’s not about creating a pretty picture, for me it’s the intention that lies beneath it that is truly worthwhile. I’m drawn to the thinking mind behind the face, the subject’s eyes holding a story in their gaze, that is what I aim to capture through my photographs.”    Gillian Hyland