In August the Multaka youth group took part in the UN’s Human Rights Global Summit, they also teamed up with other organisations. The Multaka group were given their own exhibition space at Fusion Arts. The group were tasked with creating photographs which fitted in with the theme of the summit, so we worked with a photography tutor over the course of one month between July 2025 – August 2025 to produce those photographs. We had space for 15 photos.
Here is how I produced my photo:
I attended the briefing session at the Museum of Science. We were asked how we defined climate change and we were asked to use pictures and text from magazines on the table to help us express our ideas of what we thought climate change was. I stuck on my paper, words like “monsoon” and wrote words like “desertification” to highlight how we have caused an increase of more adverse weather on our planet by our actions. For example, more places are seen were land become deserts and others enter a monsoon season far earlier and with greater force, ruining the lives of those who live among the equator. We were then shown a video of what climate change meant. I then went away and thought what I could do with my photo. I decided I want to capture joy, which is the opposite of every thing I wrote down, such as heavy monsoons and desertification. These things bring nothing but misery, and poverty to the people that experience them. This is nature at its worst, but nature is only at its worst because we have made nature like that, by heating our planet. When we care for nature, and look after it, we can be made happy by nature, it can bring joy, and our hearts which are as dry and crooked as desert land, fresh with joy. After we finished making our collages and watched a video on what climate change is. The staff of History of Science, gave us a guided tour of the museum, showing us particular objects that were relevant to exhibition. Here is a list of some of the things she showed us and what I wrote down in my notes:
Helen said that the “wood mahogany original case was given to the museum 300 years ago from Jamaica” and that the case houses a magnet lodestone. She said that “the British obtained the mahogany from Jamaica,” and that after they had taken “all the mahogany they could in Jamaica, the British moved to Belize.” Helen said that after cutting down all the mahogany trees in Jamaica, the British realised they were “having more of an impact on the land” because it was becoming rainier and that they made this association. Helen said that “bedpans were used to go to the toilet during World War Two,” but that they were “pivotal in the mass production of penicillin” because they were “just the right shape to grow the mould,” making them ideal for large-scale production. Helen said that “Nellie’s microphone,” used to give the first opera broadcast, “was made from an old tobacco box.” Helen said that the “sun clock” works because “the string casts a shadow” and that it is “like a watch,” designed to be used in lots of distant cities and adjusted depending on “how far from the equator you are.” Finally, Helen said that the dominoes display was about the COVID pandemic, explaining that students “flipped them over and drawn on them to create a game,” and that it is “a nice place to end,” encouraging people to think about the differences individuals can make, as climate change feels too big but individual actions still matter (Helen’s tour, 2025).
Bibliography
Helen. (2025). Guided museum tour. Unpublished tour.
After the tour, the following week, we all met back at the museum. We had a look at objects in the Pitt Rivers which had some relevance. The young people’s cordinator led the tour. One of the objects she showed us was number 1884.74.28. This is a necklace which has been made from the skeletons of animals. Each piece added to the necklace looks like a saber tooth. The tooths are added on a piece of leather also derived from animal material.
After returning home, I thought about this object a lot. I disliked the fact an animal had to be killed in order so that it could be made.
During that week the group were told that we would also visit multiple farms as this fitted in with multiple themes we were looking at. We initially visited Willbrook, although I was still recovering from surgery so could not go to that. Then we went to Oxford City Farm and Aston.
When we visited OCF, I was keen to photograph animals. This was because I already had a relationship with the goats at the farm, and wanted to showcase and protect them. I thought photographing them for the exhibition would allow more people to become aware of the farm and its contribution in sustainability and community practices which can help the environment, right here, right now. It also fitted in with the idea that animals should be used responsibly when it comes to the production of human goods, as these creatures are just like us. So after deciding that I drew some sketches of how I wanted to showcase best the animals. I drew several photos of me handling them. Then on the day of the shoot, I was caught offguard by the photographer but tried to make the best of it I could. I was sitting on one of the wooden play frames with goat number 9, he was only a few months old at this point. As soon as I noticed I was being photographed, I tried to think best how to pose. I suddenly thought that I would lay over him with my hands holding his face. He began then to follow the contours of my face. When we went back to the Pitt Rivers, we sat down and viewed all the photos. We then were shown Adobe Lightroom and were taught how to use some of its functions. When the photography tutor, had seen my picture of the goat, he quickly said that it would look great in black and white. I then changed the tone of the image and submitted it to the exhibition.
When the day of the exhibition came, we got to chose where our photos went, and my photo went in the prize spot.
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