The Big Picture

Graham Allbutt from Chell, Stoke-on-Trent submitted the photo to the Big Picture, an innovative arts project aiming to create a record breaking photo mosaic from images sent in from across the West Midlands.

Graham is a retired foreman-brickie, and now keeps his camera close by his side.
The photo was taken on one of Graham’s walks around Stoke with his Jack Russell dog ‘Jack’.
From a total of 110,000 images received by The Big Picture, it has been shortlisted alongside seven other photographs to potentially become the final image of the record-breaking mosaic.

Camera-walks

“I was on my usual Sunday morning walk with my camera, when I saw a film crew filming a project on street graffiti.
The fellow in the photo is a professional graffiti artist who works for the local council, making places like subways look more appealing. I was able to have an interesting talk with his about his work before moving on.
The graffiti was being sprayed on a wall in an old walkway which was in the process of being demolished at the time for the regeneration of Tunstall.
I have a very keen interest in photography and have been back to college to do a digital photography course.”

Mosaic

All 110,000 images sent in from the public to The Big Picture will be used to create the mosaic, which will be the size of three tennis courts, and unveiled outside Thinktank at Birmingham’s Millennium Point on Saturday 23 August.
The mosaic will create the image of one of the final eight shortlisted photos, but the special picture will be kept under tight wraps until the grand unveiling.

Artist Helen Marshall will be responsible for overseeing the creative direction and physical construction of the final mosaic, and was involved in the shortlisting process. The eight shortlisted photos, including Graham’s, were selected for their unique boldness, fascinating stories, and their suitability to be reproduced into the huge scale work of art.

Big Picture Project Manager, Kerry Endsor, added:
“The aim of The Big Picture was to encourage as many different people from all ages and interests to get involved, to help create a detailed piece of social history that offers an insight into the lives and loves of local residents, creating a true picture of the region that will be there to enjoy for generations to come.
The picture of Graham’s is a fascinating insight into his daily adventures, and the changing landscape of Stoke-on-Trent. ”

In addition to having their photograph selected to become the final image for the Big Picture mosaic, the contributor behind the successful picture will also receive £200 of vouchers from project sponsor, Jessops.
The Big Picture is run by Birmingham based Audiences Central for Arts Council England, West Midlands.