Causeway Coast and Glens Museum Services are delighted to work in partnership with local artist Mhairi Sutherland on a contemporary photographic project entitled Earth Camera.
Beginning in May 2025, Mhairi’s research has explored the unique archive of the Corfield Camera collection through sustainable photographic practice.
The collection, held in Ballymoney Museum, documents the only camera produced on the island of Ireland. The final camera produced in the factory in the 1960’s was the medium format ‘Corfield 66’. One of these cameras was kindly loaned from the museum collection to the artist as part of her practice-based research.
Jamie Austin, Museums Officer, Causeway Coast and Glens Museum Services said: “We’re really pleased to be supporting Earth Camera here at Ballymoney Museum.
“It’s been fantastic to see Mhairi working with the Corfield 66 camera from our collection, and using it so creatively in the field, linking past and present in a meaningful way.
“This work highlights the unique heritage of Ballymoney’s camera factory while connecting it to wider themes of sustainability and landscape. We’re delighted to host the exhibition and share this creative project with our community.”
Alongside the archival research, Mhairi has continued to develop her research into sustainable photographic practice, through the landscape and in the darkroom. This approach is mindful of natural processes, plants and seasonal cycles and applies the principles of reuse, recycle and minimal, non-toxic production.
Making and applying her own plant/phenol-based developers, Mhairi has produced the photographic prints of Earth Camera by using solutions of locally growing rosebay willow herb, heather and sage for printing and developing photographic prints in the darkroom and for processing the negative films for scanning. The plants were gathered with permission from areas of bog lands which are both degraded and are under restoration around Ballymoney, the name of which comes from ‘Bhaile na Monaidh’ the ‘townland of the bog’.
Launch of the Photolab Research and Photographic Artworks will take place in Ballymoney Museum on Thursday 30th October at 2pm, refreshments will be served.
All are welcome, admission is free and Earth Camera will be open to the public and available to visit until Thursday 13th November 2025.
Earth Camera includes a limited edition printed pamphlet designed by the artist with a commissioned essay by writer Dorothy Hunter, distributed free of charge for a limited time to exhibition visitors.
Mhairi would like to thank Jamie Austin, Museums Officer, the staff of Ballymoney Museum, Causeway Coast and Glens Museum Services and Laura Henry, Biodiversity Officer, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
Mhairi is part of a wider sustainable photographic community and is grateful for the learning opportunities provided by the Sustainable Darkroom charity. Supported by the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Contact for further information contact Ballymoney Museum on 028 2766 0230.
