The exhibition presents a selection of portraits of people whose lives and work are connected with the landscape of the South Downs landscape.

They are part of a long-term project that the photographer Anne-Katrin Purkiss began in 2002, when the creation of a South Downs National Park was first announced.

The portraits are grouped into several parts, chiefly determined by the subjects’ relationship to the landscape, such as farmers, conservationists, craftspeople, artists and those who maintain local heritage and traditions.

The exhibition is accompanied by a book that covers the entire project from 2002 up to 2025.

The artist:

Anne-Katrin Purkiss works as an independent photographer, primarily in England, with a special interest in the arts and the environment.

She was born in Chemnitz, Germany, and graduated from Leipzig University with a degree in Journalism and Photography.

She worked for an advertising agency before moving to England in 1984. After four years at the London bureau of Associated Press, she became a freelance photographer. Her commissions include regular work for museums and galleries and government agencies.

As a personal interest, she documents people in the context of their environment and their occupations. Her collection of British portraits spans more than thirty years, featuring people who inspire through their work and their ideas.

Photographs from her collection have been published in national and international newspapers such as The Guardian, The New York Times, Die Zeit and Nature. Purkiss’ work has been exhibited in England, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.