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Visual Culture Slides

In the early days of the Amber Collective, members took on paid work for colleges and broadcasters, and generated businesses, sharing the income amongst the group to allow them take their artistic practice forward. In 1972 Amber launched the Lambton Visual Aids slide library, producing sets of transparencies for Higher Education.

This imagery, created to illustrate potential lectures on a host of subjects, included copies of historical works and original slides alongside new images which included projects on: urban architecture, fairground arts, Blackpool Illuminations, shop fronts and other topics.

In addition to the images from the the Amber Film & Photography Collective, other photographers were commissioned to develop sets of slides in international topics under Lambton Visual Aids. 

Beckak Painting

Visual Culture

Folk painting decorating the backs of tricycle rickshaws in Indonesia, with subject matter ranging from local views and beauty spots to trains, automobiles and men-on-th-moon. This and the other Indonesian slide sets were taken by American photographer, Karen Melvin, who spent two years in Indonesia, 1974-76, recording various aspects of local culture.
Birket Foster

Visual Culture

A selection of tinted engravings after illustrations by Birket Foster, from CHRISTMAS WITH THE POETS, Bogue, 1852, 24 colour slides. Birket Foster (1825-1899). Born in North Shields. Best known for his water colour paintings of rural scenes. His work appears in many illustrated books of the mid-Victorian periods (often referred to as ‘Sixties books’). The illustrations in the slide-set were designed and drawn on wood by Foster, and engraved by Henry Vizetelly.
Biscuits & Cakes

Visual Culture

A selection of superb illustrations of biscuits, biscuit tins, cake display units etc, from a catalogue of Biscuits & Cakes, manufactured by the Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd, Crumpsall Works, Manchester. No date (c 1900. Beautiful examples of chromolithography.
Blackie's Children's Annual, 1905

Visual Culture

A selection of illustrations, including work by Charles Robinson, John Hassall, Olive Allen, Sybil Scott, etc. Scores of children’s annuals were published in the early years of this century (and indreed still are). Many are long forgotten (and rightly so), but some were excellent anthologies of children’s literature and illustrations. This and Grant Richard’s Children’s Annual are some of the best examples.
Blackpool Illuminations, 1975

Visual Culture

A comprehensive coverage of Blackpool’s famous ‘lights’ photographed in 1975 (three years later than LVM 2070) when the main theme was the 150th anniversary of passenger rail transport.
Brass Beds

Visual Culture

A selection of ornate iron and brass beds, including cots for children, taken from the 1907 catalogue of Richard Johnson, Clapham and Morris, Metal Merchants.
Brick & Terracotta, 1881

Visual Culture

A magnificent range of illustrations, featuring every sort of decorative brickwork, from LA BRIQUE ET LA TERRE CUITE by Pierre Chabat and Felix Monmory, Morel, Paris, 1881.
British Empire Exhibition, 1924

Visual Culture

A selection of exhibition kiosks, pavilions and posters from the Wembley Exhibition of 1924. Taken from EXHIBITIONS AND THE ART OF DISPLAY by Lawrence Weaver, Country Life, 1925.
Butcher's Shops

Visual Culture

A selection of butcher’s shops, all pre-1950 (with possible later additions), from the North East area and elsewhere. A wide range of architectural styles and decorations. Photographed 1972-74.