Cumbernauld woman’s photography showcased by major gallery

Kinsey-Elaine McCallum, a former Art and Design student at New College Lanarkshire, features in the Futureproof 2020 exhibition by Street Level Photoworks in Glasgow.

Futureproof is the gallery’s annual showcase of new talent in photographic image making.

The exhibition, which this year is being held online due to lockdown restrictions, features work by students graduating from Photography or Fine Art and Contemporary Art Practice courses at higher education establishments across Scotland.

Kinsey-Elaine’s photographs from the series ‘What Can You See?’ have been chosen to feature on the gallery’s website homepage and in its marketing materials.

Registered blind, Kinsey-Elaine has had a condition called congenital nystagmus since birth.

Her images of family members use colour, blur and movement to give an insight into what it is like to have a visual impairment.

The former Greenfaulds High pupil said: “Having a visual impairment myself, ‘wahat can you see?’ is a question I have been asked a lot and is something that can’t be easily answered with words.”

She said: “In my case, my eyes are constantly moving back and forth – it can be different in other people.

“The speed of this can determine the level of vision I’ll have, which varies.

“If I’m stressed out, tired or even in a low lighting area, my eyes will move faster resulting in even more limited vision.

“I am unable to judge depth or distance – I navigate outside with a long cane, which helps greatly. I’m able to safely and comfortably walk down downstairs or cross roads with it.”

Kinsey-Elaine spent three years studying at New College Lanarkshire, completing NQ and HNC qualifications at the Cumbernauld Campus, before doing an HND at the Kirkintilloch campus.

She recently graduated with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Moray School of Art in Elgin and is now progressing to study PGDE (Secondary Education) in Art and Design at the University of Strathclyde.

To view Kinsey-Elaine’s work visit www.streetlevelphotoworks.org/event/futureproof-2020.