Through Our Lens
Through Our Lens is a project founded by artist Carolyn Mendelsohn and developed with young people in Bradford district during the pandemic. The project has gained international attention and is now funded to continue into the future and with a major exhibition planned at Impressions gallery in 2022.
Close up portrait of half a young woman's face showing a single eye and part of her face mask as she looks directly at the viewer
Morgan Foord 17
A birds eye image of a young person lying curled up on the floor of their room during lockdown, with floor , bed and all surfaces covered in their possessions, clothes and work
Harry Berry 17
Harry Berry
Being part of Through Our Lens gave me a sense of structure when everything was really up in the air and no-one knew what was going on with school and the pandemic.
One of the best things about Through Our Lens is that it’s given me a chance to engage with young people from different backgrounds across Bradford. I’ve also developed new skills, whether that’s in photography or the confidence to speak about why I took a photo and what it means to me. In order for life to get better in Bradford, there needs to be sufficient support and engagement with young people that wasn’t there before.
A young person stands at sunset, in silhouette, on a jetty with ducks swimming by behind
Tia Weighman 16
Tia Weighman
The pandemic really impacted me mentally. Through Our Lens was a source of security where I could be myself and express my ideas through photography. When it comes to taking photographs, I’m shy and very much doubtful of myself. But the sessions helped me not to doubt what I do, and to have a sense of pride in myself.
Morgan Foord
When I was taking my GCSE exams, Through Our Lens helped create some serenity in a time that was confusing. I had lost a lot of ‘growing up’ experiences due to lockdown. But the project gave back that social aspect many of us were missing. It was addressed to us young people, asking us: ‘What is your story?’
Lockdown was lonely and I missed my family and friends. But seeing other people respond to my photographs, seeing other young people agree that it was a shared experience was extremely comforting.
A half-length portrait of a young person with their back to the viewer, their hands raised up as if to surrender and wearing a shirt with graffiti messages hand written in reaction to the murder of George Floyd
Hamza Saraj 15
Hamza Saraj
This project has been a massive part of my life since it began and has enabled me to express my inner creativeness. It came to me at the perfect time when lockdown was starting. Through Our Lens enabled me to meet like-minded people who shared the same interests as me. It shaped me into who I am today.