Generous supporters help Derby Museums address gaps in collections with new photography acquisitions from John Blakemore and Kate Bellis

Two stellar collections of photography are set to be added to the city’s collections thanks to the generous support of museum donors and the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund. Images from two contemporary photographers, John Blakemore and Kate Bellis, will provide visitors with alternative perspectives on work and nature in the Derbyshire landscape.

John Blakemore has been creating art through photography and other mediums since 1956 and has served as an inspiration to generations of photographers through his landscape work and teaching career at Derby College of Art and the University of Derby.

John’s work concentrates on the natural environment, weather conditions, and the changing of the seasons. Taking the local Derbyshire landscape as subject matter, John’s photography focuses on intricate details such as foliage and rocks through light, tonality, and composition. This unique eye for detail through the camera lens often inspires viewers to look closer and recognise the beauty in their natural environment.

The collection of work Derby Museums has acquired consists of 12 photographic prints, the book Black and White Photography Workshop and an exhibition poster from the 1991 Metro Cinema touring exhibition.

The second addition to Derby Museums’ photographic collection comes from award-winning photographer and published author Kate Bellis. Throughout her career Kate has forged a reputation for communicating the strong relationships between people and cultures and the land around them. Kate has worked across the world and exhibited nationally and internationally; she settled in Derbyshire at the end of the 1990s.

Four impactful portraits acquired by Derby Museums showcase women – Amy, Glynis, Mary, and Jen – leading work in local Derbyshire quarries and farms. The images help to address an imbalance of perspectives within Derby Museums’ collections, where often the artwork showcased, photography in particular, is created by men or features men as the main subject. This acquisition is a significant step towards shining more light on women in photography.

Kate’s portraits bring visibility to women as part of the primary workforce, an area often viewed as male-dominated. In a county more commonly known for its industrial heritage, the importance of primary sectors like agriculture and quarrying in driving industrial and post-industrial change can go unsung. Kate’s work seeks to correct this by showcasing the key roles women undertake across the Derbyshire landscape.

Sally Hawley, Co-Head of Curation at Derby Museums, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to acquire such a fantastic selection of photography thanks to two generous donors and the V&A Purchase Grant Fund. These images help us to fill in some of the gaps in our collections, specifically around local landscapes and workers and the representation of women, and more accurately share the story of Derbyshire. I hope visitors will be able to examine the works and be inspired by the stories they tell.”

Derby Museums would like to thank the V&A Purchase Grant Fund, Robert Shields DL and Longcliffe Quarries Ltd., as well as an anonymous donor who is a local longtime admirer of John Blakemore’s work, for the generous donations that made these acquisitions possible. The generous support of donors like these allows Derby Museums to continue to expand their collection and acquire new pieces for the people of Derby for generations to come.

‘Kate Bellis’ photographs will feature in the Earthbound exhibition coming to the Museum of Making in the summer of 2025. John Blakemore’s work will appear in upcoming redisplays at the Museum and Art Gallery in the coming year, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Join Derby Museums’ mailing list and follow social media channels (@derbymuseums) for updates.