Off-site Gallery - The Lightbox Exhibitions with Champs Within
The Lightbox Exhibitions with Champs Within
© Chelsea Pineda
We are happy to announce the second exhibition in The Lightbox series, running from January to July 2025. This exciting showcase will feature Champs Within alongside the work of photographer Chelsea Pineda. In partnership with Lambeth Council, we continue to curate and deliver The Lightbox Exhibitions, bringing a vibrant atmosphere and celebrating artistic expression through photography that inspires, provokes thought, and sparks meaningful conversations.
‘Photofusion is delighted to be partnering with local Brixton charity, Champs Within, and Photographer and Director Chelsea Pineda, for the second lightbox exhibition, and the first one in 2025. Given the location of the Lightboxes, marking the entrance to the recreation centre, it felt important to continue to represent sport, and regular people doing extraordinary things through sporting activity. The dual- portrait approach used by Chelsea gives a real insight into fighter's everyday lives that we can all relate to, and then the totally different dimension of them as powerful sportswomen. It was particularly important to Photofusion to be showcasing women in this sport as boxing can still be viewed by some as a very masculine environment.’ - Jenni Grainger, Director of Photofusion.
The photographs displayed present a striking portrait of fighters from Brixton-based boxing group Champs Within, captured through the lens of Filipina-American artist Chelsea Pineda. A photographer, filmmaker, and writer, Pineda has trained with Champs Within for over three years and as the gym’s official fight night photographer and facilitator, her work offers an authentic, insider’s perspective that encapsulates the vibrant Champs Within community.
Previously exhibited at Brixton Library as part of The Champions Within: Portraits of a Boxing Community, this series explores the dualities of Champs Within boxers and showcases a nuanced view of their lives both inside and outside the gym. Each subject is depicted both in their Champs Within boxing gear, embodying their tenacious fighter persona, and in their personal, everyday lives. Through these contrasts, the photographs reveal both the physical and emotional resilience of the boxers, as well as the community that underpins their journeys.
At the heart of Champs Within is the mission to empower individuals through boxing. Fostering empowerment, self-expression and mental well-being. They provide a safe and inclusive space for individuals of all ages, helping them develop resilience, discipline, confidence and community.
The photographs on display celebrate the transformative impact boxing has on the community and the integral role Champs Within plays.
For further information on Champs Within, visit their website: https://www.champswithin.com
NOTE: The Lightbox exhibitions are a collaboration between Lambeth Council and Photofusion. The installation of the lightboxes has been funded by the Revitalising Brixton’s Rec Quarter project, which has invested in creating new workspace in the Rec, renovating the Rec’s existing shop units with lit signage and double-glazed shopfronts, and revitalising the public facing areas of the Rec and concourse with new lighting and the restoration of original signage. The Revitalising Brixton’s Rec Quarter project received £2.17m from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund which was matched by Lambeth Council and Stride. The ongoing management of Lightbox exhibitions has been funded for two years by the project, Active Lambeth and Photofusion from March 2024 – March 2026.
Off-site Gallery - The Lightbox Exhibitions with Rosalind Hobley
The Lightbox Exhibitions with Rosalind Hobley
© Rosalind Hobley
We are delighted to be partnering with Lambeth Council in curating and delivering The Lightbox Exhibitions for the next two years. The exhibitions will bring a rich atmosphere and artistic expression to the area and are intended to inspire, provoke and stimulate conversation through the photography on display. This first exhibition (March 24 - September 2024) is by photographer, Rosalind Hobley.
Rosalind Hobley is a London based artist working with the early photographic process of Cyanotype, where watercolour paper is coated with chemicals and exposed with a large format negative. The resulting prints are a characteristic blue colour.
Rosalind received a BA Hons in Fine Art Sculpture from Maidstone College of Art and went on to be the recipient of the Create Church St Grant; LCN Scholarship; awarded first place in the Alternative Processes Series of the 16th Julia Margaret Cameron Award, and an Honourable Mention in the Portrait Series.
Her 'Swimmer' series are about the pleasure and freedom of being in the water. She is a keen swimmer herself and passionate about promoting the accessibility of swimming for all. Her work has featured in many publications, as well as the RA Summer Exhibitions and juried shows at the Turner Contemporary and Hastings Contemporary Galleries and others.
This project includes work made at this site (Brixton Rec), and she says ‘I particularly enjoyed making an artwork that includes Brixton Rec as I used to swim here about 30 years ago. It was lovely to work here with local swimmers and lifeguards. I really appreciate the support of Photofusion, Lambeth Council and the team at the Recreation Centre for all their help and input.
For further information on Rosalind Hobley and to find out how these prints were made (as well as the opportunity to buy limited edition prints of these swimmers), visit the website: https://www.rosalindhobley.com/swimmers.
NOTE: The Lightbox exhibitions are a collaboration between Lambeth Council and Photofusion. The installation of the lightboxes has been funded by the Revitalising Brixton’s Rec Quarter project, which has invested in creating new workspace in the Rec, renovating the Rec’s existing shop units with lit signage and double-glazed shopfronts, and revitalising the public facing areas of the Rec and concourse with new lighting and the restoration of original signage. The Revitalising Brixton’s Rec Quarter project received £2.17m from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund which was matched by Lambeth Council and Stride. The ongoing management of Lightbox exhibitions has been funded for two years by the project, Active Lambeth and Photofusion from March 2024 – March 2026.
