Photography graduate Dawn Rodgers exhibits at FORMAT Festival

Now in its 12th year, East Meets West is a biennial initiative that forms a vital part of FORMAT and arts organisation GRAIN’s professional development offer for artists. Funded by Arts Council England, the programme supports new and emerging photographers across the UK, providing them with a subsidised series of masterclasses led by industry professionals. 

“I’d seen other graduates take part in the programme before me,” says Dawn, “and it always looked like such a valuable opportunity. I was lucky to be accepted this year, and it absolutely lived up to expectations.” 

Over six months, participants attended sessions - both online and in person - with leading curators, editors, and photographers, including names such as Amak Mahmoodian, Mariama Attah, and Tom Lovelace. These sessions provided critical feedback and shaped the development of each artist’s project. 

“The other practitioners had very diverse photography practices,” Dawn reflects. “So, they approached my work from different angles, which led to new ways of developing my practice.”

The MA gave me the structure and encouragement I needed to begin sharing personal material in a way that felt safe and considered. 

“It’s a continuation of the work I started at Falmouth,” she says. “Through that project, I was able to rebuild a relationship with my brother in a way - both visually and narratively. Now, Land of the Dead allows me to deepen that connection, to reimagine what those moments beyond loss might look like.” 

Dawn credits Falmouth's online Photography MA with setting the foundation for her recent work and career growth. “Each module moved me closer to that first photo book, Sorrow,” she says. “At first, I was guarded. But the MA gave me the structure and encouragement I needed to begin sharing personal material in a way that felt safe and considered.” 

Although Dawn had always aspired to study at postgraduate level, it wasn’t until her daughter gave her the gentle push she needed to invest in her own creative practice. “My daughter had just completed her own master’s and told me, ‘Mum, just do it.’ that just tipped the balance, and I've never looked back. ” 

As an educator herself, Rodgers found the course not only elevated her personal practice but also enhanced her teaching. “The MA tied together all this knowledge I’d collected over the years. It sharpened my subject expertise massively; from developing photo books to working in the darkroom. I even started experimenting with large-format film. And now I pass that on to my students.” 

Looking ahead, Dawn is focused on further developing Land of the Dead, with plans to expand the project into a multimedia installation incorporating soundscapes and immersive environments. 

“I want to create an experience that goes beyond still images - something that fully transports the viewer. I’ve started researching funding opportunities to support this installation idea, and I’ll be learning how to record and use sound in my work, which is entirely new for me,” she says. 

The ambition is large, but Dawn is undeterred. “Ask me again in two years and I'll let you know if I've managed to pull it off.”

External links

Explore more of Dawn's work on her website and Instagram