Richard Woolrich Photographic Fine Artist | Archive & Heritage Practitioner | freelance photographer | MFA Student Doncaster / York, United Kingdom [email protected]
Profile Richard Woolrich is a photographic artist currently completing a Master of Fine Art (MFA) in Photography at York St John University. His interdisciplinary practice explores mourning, memory, solitude, public engagement, and socially engaged visual storytelling through photography, moving image, installation, and archival research. His work investigates absence, ritual, emotional ambiguity, and human connection through observational and constructed photographic approaches, often combining theatrical environments, documentary practice, and heritage-based research. Alongside his artistic practice, Woolrich has developed experience within archives, exhibitions, heritage collections, and curatorial support through collaborations with York Minster Archive, Doncaster Archives, and Art Bomb UK.
Education Master of Fine Art (MFA) Photography York St John University | 2025 – Present Research interests include: Mourning and visual culture Public memory and collective grief Solitude and contemporary photography Archival methodologies Socially engaged art practice Lens-based installation and moving image
BA (Hons) Photography — First Class Honours York St John University | 2022 – 2025 Student Representative (2 years) Collaboration with York Minster Archive Awarded Association of Photographers (AOP) Photography Practice Award
A Level Art & Design Barnsley College | 2021 – 2022
Research & Artistic Practice Current Research Themes Mourning and public memory Solitude, repetition, and emotional absence Documentary and constructed photographic practices Archive and heritage documentation Social ritual and contemporary working-class culture Photography as therapeutic and socially engaged practice Temporality, fragmentation, and fading memory
Selected Artistic & Research Projects The Next Generation’s Turn Moving-image installation exploring legacy, generational transition, and inheritance through stop-motion portraiture, spoken word, photography, and sculptural projection. Recipient of the Association of Photographers Photography Practice Award. Turning Around, Turning Inwards, and Fade to Black Photographic installation examining mourning, repetition, memory erosion, and cyclical structures of everyday life through sequential imagery and temporal fragmentation. Just Another Saturday Night Documentary-style photographic series exploring post-COVID pub culture as ritual space, investigating performance, vulnerability, and collective social memory through black-and-white observational photography. The Pursuit of Peace Experimental photographic series using second-curtain flash and long exposure techniques to investigate movement, psychological tension, and the instability of emotional stillness. In Between Berlin Light box installation reflecting on historical memory, solitude, and resilience within urban environments shaped by conflict and collective trauma. Left Behind Photographic work exploring disability, visibility, and social marginalisation through symbolic street observation and autobiographical reflection on dyslexia and identity. An Redacted Series Mixed-media photographic and text-based series examining censorship, omission, fragmented narratives, and surveillance through physically altered written material and observational photography. Extreme Close Up Staged photographic work exploring grief, intimacy, and memory through enlarged portrait fragmentation and performative domestic tableaux. Aftertouch Experimental photographic response to sculptural studies by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Alessandro Algardi, exploring permanence, material instability, and traces of artistic presence. The Floods Documentary film and photographic project reflecting on the psychological impact of flooding within Doncaster communities following the 2019 floods and subsequent extreme weather events.
Archive, Curatorial & Heritage Experience Volunteer Archive Support — KOYLI Collection Doncaster Archives | 2024 – 2025 Assisted with archival documentation and cataloguing Recorded conservation and restoration processes Supported organisation and preservation of heritage materials Worked collaboratively alongside archive and curatorial staff
Archival Photography & Exhibition Support York Minster Archive / York St John University | 2024 Produced photographic documentation for archive and exhibition purposes Contributed to heritage interpretation and public engagement projects Assisted exhibition preparation and installation Supported press and promotional material coordination
Artist Residency & Curatorial Practice Art Bomb UK | 2025 Supported development of heritage-focused exhibitions Assisted audience engagement and interpretation work Participated in collaborative curatorial discussions and installation planning
Freelance & Professional Practice Freelance Photographer Various Commissions | 2024 – Present Documentary photography Event photography Promotional and publication imagery Client-led commissioned work Independent project management and delivery
Awards & Recognition Association of Photographers (AOP) Photography Practice Award First Class BA (Hons) Photography Degree Student Representative, York St John University (2 years)
Conferences, Public Engagement & Outreach Supported public-facing archive and heritage engagement initiatives Experience contributing to exhibition interpretation and visitor engagement Interest in therapeutic and community-based arts practice, particularly within healthcare and educational settings Experience discussing photographic practice within collaborative academic and community environments
Technical & Creative Skills Large format photography Studio photography Documentary photography Moving image and installation practice Archival photography and documentation Exhibition installation support Cataloguing and collections support Research-led visual practice Public engagement and collaborative working Adobe Creative Suite Visual storytelling and curatorial development
