Artist Talk as part of our Leicester Print Festival exhibitions

This exhibition stems from Robyn’s current research into ecoGothic theory and its representations in photography and printmaking. EcoGothic theory is a framework for interrogating how the natural world is represented in visual culture and how fear, in particular, becomes integral to our relationship.

The ecoGothic places an emphasis on darkness, time, and non-human agency. By using slow, analogue processes Robyn opens up her practice to interference from agents other than herself, where plants can be used as natural developers and zinc plates can be abandoned underground for months at a time.

Robyn utilises photography and printmaking to combine the optic and haptic through handmade prints. By focusing on the undergrowth and overlooked textures of the forest, Robyn asks us to look closer, as macro visions of bark form new landscapes and invites us to get lost in the forest. The photographs in this exhibition focus on the flora of Salcey Forest and Harlestone Forest in Northamptonshire.

The hope of the project is that the ecoGothic can re-enchant the natural world into one of mystery and darkness whilst also hinting at a more entwined and sustainable future.

This exhibition was first shown at Dubrek Gallery, Derby in 2024 and is being restaged here at Leicester Print Workshop as part of the Print Festival to celebrate the workshop where the pieces were made.