Where The Flow Ends
The Severn is the longest and most polluted river in the UK. Along its course, human life, industry and nature rise and fall over time, echoing the tides of the Bristol Channel.
Marking the boundary between England and Wales, the River Severn bears witness to how the human projects to dam, cross and channel the flow of rivers in our need for agriculture and industry have removed the river from the romanticised beauty of its source. The river's mechanised and highly controlled current state feels distant from our idealised perceptions of its natural flow, confronting us with the question: how will we choose to shape our future relationship with the river?
Where The Flow Ends presents a photographic journey through a place where the river and the sea meet, and raw and processed water flow against one another. The project interweaves eight individual photographic approaches into a single, collective picture, combining perspectives to build a renewed narrative of the Severn.
This research takes place against the backdrop of the pollution of water bodies across the UK spiralling to unsustainable levels, threatening ecosystems, public health, and our ability to enjoy water in the same way as previous generations have. The work creates a set of new visual references for the Severn, restoring a sense of magic and mythology, returning a lost esteemed status, and stimulating future care for the river.
Featuring the work of Caroline Charrel, Simon Kennedy, Andrew Meredith, William Morgan, Luca Piffaretti, Francesco Russo, Polly Tootal and Henry Woide.
Where The Flow Ends is a collaborative project born from a series of immersive on-site workshops and was first presented as an exhibition at Mass Collective’s studio.
Inspired by a shared curiosity about water’s role in shaping both the natural and built environment of Britain, Mass Collective adopted an intensely collaborative approach to explore environmental issues surrounding water in the UK.
The project began with an intensive one-week workshop along the shores of the River Severn estuary – the focal point of the photographic research. Over subsequent sessions, eight photographers worked closely to create a cohesive body of work, exchanging feedback and refining their perspectives.
The resulting exhibition weaves together eight distinct viewpoints, unified by a shared research focus and a collective creative process. The project debuted during the London Festival of Architecture 2024, offering an evocative exploration of the interconnection between the natural and manmade landscape along the estuary of the Severn.
Exhibition credits:
Installation design: HereWeAre
Graphic design: Tim George Studio
Exhibited:
London Festival of Architecture 2024, London, UK
