Lorna MacKay is a photographer based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Interested in connections between people and place, her work seeks to engage with human stories of landscape and the ways in which these are mediated through cultural narratives. Much of her work explores ideas of community, identity and belonging and how these are shaped by our emotional experiences of the environments we inhabit.
Recognised by British Journal of Photography and Feature Shoot and supported by Arts Council England, she has exhibited internationally and was shortlisted for the National Trust's inaugural North East Emerging Artist Award in 2022.
Her work has been published in The Guardian, The Times and Uncut Magazine among others. She works between long term personal projects and commissions, including as a contributing editorial photographer for Bloomberg.
Awards, Grants & Residencies
2024 The Bothy Project, Artist Residency
2022 National Trust North East Emerging Artist Award Shortlist
2022 North East Photography Network (NEPN) SHIFTS Professional Development Scheme
2022 Arts Council England DYCP
2021 British Journal of Photography, Decade of Change Award
2021 Feature Shoot Emerging Photography Award Shortlist
2019-2021 Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Artist-in-residence
2018 Michael Ormerod Travel Award, Newcastle College
Selected Exhibitions
2024 Photo Open 24. Queens Hall Hexham, 3 May - 1 June
2024 Print Exchange Project with Hotbed Press. Northern Print, 4 - 24 February
2022 National Trust North East Emerging Artist Award. Seaton Delaval Hall, 28 May – 9 July
2022 Investigations in Infrastructure. Subjectively Objective Gallery, Detroit, 7 May – 15 July
2021 Lenscratch: Still Life Exhibition (Online) 1-30 November
2021 British Journal of Photography, Decade of Change Award. NYC Climate Week. Javits Centre, New York, 20-26 September
2021 British Journal of Photography, Decade of Change Award. Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change, Hong Kong, 10 June - 31 September
2021 Creative Arts Practice Degree Show. Hatton Gallery, 20 August – 4 September
2021 Valance ii (Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research Residency). Vane Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne, 18-28 August
2019 20:20, Northern Print, 1 - 31 August
2018 Michael Ormerod Travel Award: Solo Exhibition. Newcastle College, 26 October – 30 November
Education
2019-2021 MA in Creative Arts Practice (Distinction), Newcastle University
2016-2019 BA (Hons) in Photography (First), Newcastle College University Centre