The Council for British Archaeology (CBA), in partnership with Photoworks, is thrilled to share updates on our innovative project that reimagines archaeology for contemporary audiences through photography.
Since 2021, the CBA and Photoworks have collaborated to champion innovative ways of engaging new audiences with archaeology and heritage. With My Heritage, we’re exploring how young people interpret and reimagine archaeology in their own lives and communities.
This project is made possible with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players. It is part of the CBA's Reconnecting Archaeology Project.
We’re excited to announce that the project is now in full swing! Eight talented young photographers, aged 16-25, are working alongside award-winning artist and photographer Laura El-Tantawy to challenge traditional notions of heritage through their photography.
Participants have started engaging in a series of online sessions, which include group workshops and one-on-one mentoring with Laura. These sessions, running from October 2024 to February 2025, serve as a creative launchpad for the participants to develop new bodies of work.
Their photography will reflect personal perspectives on archaeology and heritage, exploring how these concepts are relevant in their own lives and places.
Photography and Heritage: A Contemporary Lens
As newcomers to archaeology, they will use their unique perspectives to explore:
The places, objects, and spaces that are significant to them.
Themes of identity, community, and representation.
Questions about relevance, interpretation, and curation: What makes something ‘heritage,’ and who decides?
Photography, as a medium, provides a fresh perspective to explore these themes, offering participants the freedom to reinterpret heritage in ways that speak directly to their own experiences.
Through their work, participants are challenging what constitutes heritage, exploring how we see ourselves reflected in archaeology and how we can foster a sense of belonging, ownership, and relevance for everyone.
In October 2024, with support from members of the CBA’s Youth Advisory Board, we recruited eight young people to participate in the project. Our young photographers have a variety of lived experiences and perspectives, huge enthusiasm for the project and are eager to explore their practice through the theme of archaeology and heritage.
Abigail Tinnion
I’m Abigail Tinnion, a Visual Artist and Folklorist working primarily in photography. My practice investigates folklore, mythology, and historical belief systems, especially regarding autonomy and oppression. Through my work, I explore identity and representation, particularly examining what defines the “inhuman” and our relationships with 'the other’, ancient cultures, animals, and the dead.
Adam Lin
Adam (Han-Chun) Lin is a Taiwanese image-maker and artist based in London.
My practice explores the complex, often underrepresented experiences of masculinity and male intimacy within domestic spaces, emphasising the intricate interplay of family dynamics, identity, and personal history.
Ben Waters
I am a photographic artist currently based in Wales. I most recently graduated with a BA Hons Photography at Arts University Bournemouth.
Stemming from an initial interest in ancient belief, folklore and prehistory, over the last few years my practice has explored the ways in which we bestow significance and construct meaning from the environment, through considering photography’s role as a record and questioning our engagement with the life that has preceded us.
Elizabeth Wells
I’m studying for my A-Levels at a Waldorf Steiner School. I am taking A-Levels in Photography, History and Fine Art. My passion for history began when I was small, as I loved to sit for hours reading books about Ancient Greek and Norse mythology; usually with one of my cats curled up somewhere nearby. For many years I wanted to become an archaeologist, but as I have got older, my passion for photography has become equally important to me.
Chagla Mehmet
I am a Turkish Cypriot photographer based between Cyprus and the UK. My practice explores the intersections of land, memory, and identity, using analogue photography to reveal overlooked and forgotten narratives embedded within natural landscapes. Much like archaeology uncovers fragments of the past, my work aims to make visible the layers of human history that shape our understanding of place and belonging. The land itself serves as a silent witness, preserving the imprints of trauma.
Louie Haslam Chance
Hello, my name is Louie and I’m a photographer based in Bradford. My photographic practice heavily revolves around capturing the deeper meanings of a space, and using alternative photographic processes to connect to, and create a sense of place. I usually work through analogue techniques as I find this way of working more meditative, thoughtful, and magical when seeing negatives and prints coming to life.
Solomon Pui Chung Yu
I am a London-based photographer exploring themes of belonging, identity, and the interplay between modern technology and everyday life. I love to capture intriguing details in daily routines, experimenting with bright colours and compositions. Analogue and vintage digital are the two main mediums that I work with. Growing up in the shift from physical to digital media, I am always captivated by the chemistry behind a physical photograph. I wish to learn and preserve the tactile beauty.
Sophie Mann
My name is Sophie, I am 17 years old and currently in full time education. I have a passion for photography as I am able to capture moments and allow people to see things from my perspective. I love looking back on my photos to remember how I felt and be able to tell stories about that moment in time. Photography is something that is really accessible as even though I am in a wheelchair it gives me a reason to get out and about and enjoy exploring.
Laura El-Tantawy
Laura El-Tantawy is an award winning British/Egyptian documentary photographer, book maker & educator. She is a Canon Ambassador, representing the global camera giant’s vision and passion for visual storytelling. Born in Worcestershire, UK, Laura studied in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the US & UK. Living between East and West for much of her life inspires her work. Her projects investigate notions of home and belonging, routinely approaching her work from a social and environmental perspectives.
Photoworks - champions photography for everyone.
Global in reach, we have been providing opportunities for artists and audiences since 1995. We don’t have a physical venue, but our online channels are always open. Our programme, which includes the Photoworks Festival – one of the UK’s longest-running photography festivals, brings new experiences to audiences and opens new ways to encounter photography. Photoworks is committed to supporting young people, helping to develop practice and support career progression.
The Council for British Archaeology is an educational charity working throughout the UK to champion archaeology and to help people experience and participate in archaeology. As the voice of grassroots archaeology in the UK, we bring together community groups, commercial units, academics and heritage organisations to create and share opportunities to discover, take part in and be inspired by archaeology. We are committed to promoting inclusion and diversity within the sector.
