Two sets of work presented together by Robert H. King, a visually impaired Digital Photographic Artist, which offer a powerful, complementary exploration of sight loss, memory and identity.
Shadow Of An Echo explores the photographer’s sight loss through a series of evocative, multi-layered self-portraits that challenge traditional notions of vision and artistry.
King combines Retinal scans, fluorescein angiograms, photos of medical equipment and treatment rooms captured during his medical appointments, hospital visits and post-surgery, transforming clinical experiences into art. The images touch on various stages and emotions of sight loss like anger, denial and grief whilst drawing attention to some of the clichéd tropes of blindness: helplessness, infantilisation and darkness.
In Everything Near Becomes Distant, King asks, “Imagine losing not just your sight, but the very memory of it. That’s a different kind of blindness. It’s seldom talked about, but many who lose sight later in life experience the loss of their mental ‘visual library’. Over time, images of loved ones, places, and landscapes fade, leaving only faint traces of colours and light. A cruel twist on the initial trauma of losing sight.
These abstract digital images evoke the indistinct landscapes of colour and light I recall from positive past moments. Offering insight on individual identity and the fragmentary nature of visual memory, particularly for those of us with sight loss.”
This exhibition is a part of the Season of Photography 2026 - a celebration of photography in Scotland running from 1 September – 20 December 2026.
