Mary Eynon

Interdisciplinary Artist and Maker

David Baker

David Baker

Focusing on Southampton Common, David Baker has documented the park over a period of four years to produce a wonderful collection of photographs. He began the project in 2013, going out into the Common between 5am and 7am most days to take his photographs.

“I decided to carry out the project in the early mornings because without inhabitants, the area takes on a completely different, ethereal dynamic.”

Southampton Common has been in existence since 1228 and became a public park in 1844. It encompasses 328 acres. The old cemetery covers 27 acres and received its first burial in 1846. It is one of England’s earliest municipal cemeteries and is located on the Common.​ 

It struck me very early on how much I recognise and how familiar the images were. This may seem obvious but many people in the room were debating the location of the photo despite having walked there numerous times. To me, this reiterates my point that people are not actually looking where they are. They do not take not of their surroundings and pay attention to detail.

The main thing for me was the solitude in the exhibition. It was so calm and tranquil and has the affect I am seeking for in my own practice. The habitation of life was widely hinted, the creation of paths and ponds where often captured and gravestone were majestically shown. This notion of past memory and existence is somewhat airy but also beautiful at the same time. It perfectly showed the life that is clearly there yet this solitude was not at all lonely, it was rather appealing.  By choosing to avoid human and animal inhabitants, the Common was transformed by time weather and history.

This work made me look even harder and deeper than I already do on my walks. So I hope it motivates others to look at this space again and engage with it in a new personal way. And I can take this aspect of his work into my own practice.

154 thoughts on “David Baker”

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  101. Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.

  150. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?

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