Harry Lawson’s latest exhibition, Stepney Western, at Newcastle Contemporary Art brings together archival photography and experimental documentary filmmaking to reimagine Byker as the Wild West. Working closely with young horse riders from Stepney Bank Stables, Lawson has developed a distinctive portrait of a community through interwoven footage, blending contemporary recordings with archival imagery.

As part of this project, Lawson has been working within the AmberSide Collection, drawing on its extensive photographic archive to inform and shape his work. In support of Stepney Western, we are loaning a selection of prints from the collection, including works by Chris Killip, Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, Tish Murtha, Martine Franck, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Derek Smith, Mik Critchlow, and Dean Chapman. Alongside these prints, archival imagery from the collection has been shared for use in Lawson’s film, bridging past and present through a dynamic reimagining of the North East.

The AmberSide Collection has always been a space where artists can engage with the region’s rich social and industrial history, using photography as a tool for both reflection and reinvention. Stepney Western continues this tradition, demonstrating how archival material can inspire new creative perspectives and contemporary storytelling.