Image: Joy Gregory, Stockwell Siren from the series Celebrity Blonde, 2003, performance © Joy Gregory
"Joy Gregory: Catching Flies with Honey," an exhibition originated by Whitechapel Gallery in London, travels to Arnolfini in Bristol from October 17, 2026, to February 7, 2027. It is one of the headline exhibitions of Bristol Photo Festival 2026, which runs from October 14 to November 15. Entry is free, with donations welcome.
The survey brings together more than 150 photographs, films, installations and textile works made over four decades. Since the early 1980s, Gregory has questioned received ideas about photography and about how Black or feminist art is expected to look. She works with historic photographic processes as well as digital media, performance and textiles, and her subjects include identity, beauty, history and belonging.
Works named by Arnolfini include "Autoportrait," made in 1989–1990 and printed in 2024 as a silver gelatin lith print; "Language of Flowers," 1986–2004; and "Eyelash," from the series "Objects of Beauty," 1992–1995. The venue's lead image comes from "Stockwell Siren," part of the 2003 performance series "Celebrity Blonde."
Gregory was born in the UK in 1959 and studied at Manchester Polytechnic and the Royal College of Art. Her practice addresses social and political questions.
Whitechapel Gallery first showed the exhibition from October 8, 2025, to March 1, 2026, and the tour that followed was organized in collaboration with Arnolfini. Freelands Foundation supported the project through the Freelands Award 2023, the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art supported research for the exhibition, and The Elephant Trust gave additional support to the artist.
A free preview evening takes place on Friday, October 16, from 5 to 8 p.m., followed by the Bristol Photo Festival opening party in the Arnolfini Theatre, which is ticketed separately. The related programme includes the festival's Time Machine Symposium the same day, half-term family workshops on October 27 and 28, a mindful photography workshop series in late November, a photography zine workshop on December 4, audio-described tours between November 27 and January 30, and a schools resource available for the run of the show.
