Capturing Movement Debrief

On Wednesday 1 July 2026, we gathered for Capturing Movement: Truth, Voice and Visibility, an evening centred around the work and archive of Bristol photographer Mark Simmons.

The evening explored how protest, community and social change are documented, shared and remembered. At its centre was the work of Bristol photographer Mark Simmons, whose archive provided a starting point for a much wider conversation.

Mark’s photographs helped ground the evening in real movements, people and moments from Bristol’s past. From there, the discussion opened out into questions of media, memory, visibility, interpretation and who gets to shape the stories that remain.

The conversation was facilitated by Laura Barber, with contributions from Mark Simmons, Ollie Ley, The Bristol Cable and Nepal Point Collective. Those in the room also brought their own experiences, memories and perspectives.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed with such openness and care.

Photos from the evening

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The photographs taken by Yaz Cooke, also connect back to the questions running through the evening. What does an image preserve? What sits outside the frame? Who gets remembered, and who gets to decide what a moment means?

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Notes from Mark

I am interested in how we can learn from past movements by looking at archives, images and our collective learning/reminiscences.the traces people leave behind.

Through sharing my own work in process, alongside other material that people may bring into the space, I hope we can think together about how, going forward images can support, publicise and inspire new grassroots actions.

I am also interested in how we navigate the media landscape around us: how we filter what is useful from the noise, how we respond to misinformation, and how we build better ways of communicating and connecting with each other.

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Notes from Ollie

I am interested in how we create spaces where people feel able to bring their voice, experience and interpretation into the room. Spaces where we can ask how people, communities and moments are seen, remembered and understood.

As someone who works with communication and community organising, I am interested in how we share knowledge, build connection and support people to do the work they care about without flattening the complexity of it.

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Notes from you

We would really value hearing what has stayed with you from the evening.

That could be a few words, a longer reflection or an image. It might be something from the evening itself, something you have made since, or simply something that connects with the conversations we began.

You can respond by email ollie@wearespatula.com.

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Continuing the space

Capturing Movement will continue as a monthly gathering at IC Visual Lab on the first Wednesday of each month.

Mark will share work in progress and invite interpretation, while others are welcome to bring photographs, writing, objects, questions or anything else that feels relevant at that moment.

There is no expectation that something needs to be finished or formally presented. The space is there to look, share and think together.

The next gathering can be booked here:

Capturing Movement: Open Studio