Britain from the Air
by Caroline Grandjean
Leeds is the first Yorkshire city to host a breath taking photography exhibition Britain from the air.
Today marked the opening of the outdoor touring exhibition in Victoria’s Gardens of the city, beginning an eight week residency.
The exhibition, organised by the Royal Geographical Society and the street gallery pioneers Wecommunic8, aims at encouraging the public to discover more about UK’s places.
Councillor Lucina Yeadon, Leeds City council executive member for culture said: “This promises to be a wonderful insight into Britain’s incredibly diverse and stricking landscapes and offers a great opportunity to explore then on our doorstep. Visitors will be able to study the beauty of the photos while also visualising where these amazing places are by walking around the map. We’re proud to be hosting this enlightening exhibition in Leeds.”
The underlying idea is to re-engage people with geography. The 61 year-old writer and explorer Nick Crane from the Royal Geographical Society launched the event.
He said: “This is the perfect twinning. Leeds and geography. Both central to Britain.”
More than 100 contemporary aerial images of well-known landmarks and major UK cities are showcased alongside a 16-metre Ordnance Survey map. Visitors can explore the precise location of each shot.
The emphasis is also on history, the pictures provide landmarks whilst telling the story of the country.
Britain from the Air is sponsored by world travel clothing company Craghoppers, supported by Ordnance Survey and Rolex and hosted by Leeds City Council.
The large scale street gallery is free to visit and open 24 hours a day.