Chris Harrison is a photographic artist from the North-East of England. His work combines image with text to explore ideas of home, history and class, positioning memory and storytelling at the centre of his practice. Before graduating with an MA in photography from the Royal College of Art, Harrison worked as an apprentice at the local shipyard after leaving school when he was 15. Harrison was awarded the 16th Bradford Fellowship in Photography at the National Media Museum for which he produced the work Copper Horses. His monograph I Belong Jarrow is part of the North of England photography collection held by the Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art. His work has been shown widely including The Barbican, Tate Britain, the German Historical Museum, the Imperial War Museum, and Arles Photo Festival, while his photographs are included in the collections of the V&A Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the National Media Museum, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the Irish Gallery of Photography and the British Council. Harrison is based in Norway and is a member of the Fri Fotografers Forbund and the Bjørka Kollektiv. Harrison is currently Head of Photography at Bilder Nordic School of Photography, Oslo.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Museum Villa Rot, Ulm, Germany. Memory Matters - The Relationship Between Objects and Our Self. 2022
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. The Art of Terrace Culture. 2022
Norwegian Journal of Photography. I Can Still Hear the Sea. 2021
Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton, England. Sites of Memory II. 2018
Manchester Central Library, Manchester, England. Hit the North. 2018
The 16th Bradford Fellow in Photography, The National Media Museum, Bradford, England. Copper Horses. 2014
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Sunderland, England, You Are the Company in Which You Keep. Commissioned Exhibition. 2013
Imperial War Museum, Manchester, England. Catalyst: Contemporary Art and War 2013
PUG Gallery, Oslo Norway. I Belong Jarrow. 2013
Galleri F15, Moss, Norway. Menn. 2012
Museo Macro Testaccio, Rome, Italy. Motherland. 2011
Tate Gallery, London, England. How we are: Photographing Britain. 2007
The German Historical Museum, Berlin, Germany. Der Weltkrieg, Ereignis und Erinnerung. 2004
Kunstbanken på Hamar, Hamar, Norway. Wood You Be Mine. 2004
The Barbican, London, England. Absolut Studio with Martin Parr. 2002
Gallery of Photography, Dublin, Ireland. For Evermore. 2000
Brighton University Gallery, Brighton, England. Sites of Memory
Viewpoint Photography Gallery, Salford, England. Sang a Sable. 1999
Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno, Wales. Sites of Memory. 1998
Arles Photographic Festival, Arles, France. Les Anglais vus par les Anglais. 1998
The Imperial War Museum London, England. Sites of Memory. 1997
Leaconfield Hall, Petworth, England. Country Life. 1996
Derby University Gallery, Derby, England. Under the Hood. 1995
Oldham Municipal Art Gallery, Oldham, England. Under the Hood. 1994
Viewpoint Photography Gallery, Salford, England. Under the Hood. 1994
Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal, England. Whatever Happened to Audra Patterson? 1992
Zone Gallery, Newcastle, England. Whatever Happened to Audra Patterson? 1992
Photoscape, San Francisco, USA. FIBUA. 1991
COLLECTIONS
The Victoria and Albert Museum, London
The National Media Museum, Bradford, England.
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, France.
Imperial War Museum London, England.
The British Council.
The Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art, Sunderland, England.
Irish Gallery of Photography, Dublin.
Schwerin Kulturampt, Germany.
Photoworks UK.
AWARDS
Norwegian Fritt Ord Art Grant 2018
16th Bradford Fellow in Photography National Media Museum, Bradford 2013
North East Photography Network Bursary 2013
Houston Fotofest Scholarship 2010
Sir James Knott Scholarship 1999
Royal College of Art Scholarship 1998
Northern Arts Travel Grant 1992
Northern Arts Production Award 1991
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ruddle, Patricia Ann - “I Belong Jarrow”. The Royal Photographic Society Journal. Spring 2014
Martin, Lee - “I Belong Jarrow”. The Independent on Sunday. September 16 2012
Williams, Val – Chris Harrison Essay “I Belong Jarrow”. Monograph September 2012
Prüst, Marc - “Motherland”. Motherland Catalogue. September 2011
Bright, Susan Ed - “How we are: Photographing Britain”. Tate Publishing. 2007
Brendmoe, Markus - “Fotografier”. Markus Brendmoe Paintings etc. 2007
Tolson, Roger - “Spurensuche”. Der Weltkrieg Ereignis und Erinnerung Catalogue. 2004
Neill, Peter - “For Evermore”. For Evermore Catalogue. 2000
Brett, David - “War Memorials”. Source Magazine #21. Winter 1999
Kerr, Joe - “War & Peace”. Blueprint. November 1998
Bauret, Gabriel - “Les Anglais vus par les Anglais”. Arles Festival Catalogue. July 1998
Moriarty, Catherine - “Sites of Memory”. Sites of Memory Catalogue. October 1997
Benni, Stefano - “Fanny & Darko”. Bologna Maylight Catalogue. May 1997
Jerrome, Peter - “Noblesse Oblige”. Country Life Catalogue. September 1996
Arnaudet, Didier - “Presence”. L`Art dans la Ville Catalogue. November 1995
Williams, Val - “Stories of the Self”. Art Press 196. France November 1994
Prof. Maron, K W - “Live portrait”. Schweriner Fotowerkstatt Katalog. Germany 1994
Williams, Val - “Salford Knights”. The Guardian Weekend. June 18 1994
Williams, Val - “Under the Hood”. Viewpoint Gallery Catalogue. 1994
Sinden, David - “Chris Harrison & Andreas Serrano at Zone”. Profil. Slovakia 1994
Harrison, Chris - “Jarrow Elvis”. Camera Austria. Austria. April 1993.
Little, Mark - “Whatever Happened to Audra Patterson ?” Creative Camera #318. 1992
Tregaskis, Kate - “Whatever Happened to Audra Patterson ?” Zone Gallery Catalogue.1992
Mitchison, Amanda - “Anatomy of a Classroom” The Independent Magazine. August 8 1992
Reinhardt, David - “Soldier in Brecon”. San Francisco Photoscape 91 Catalogue. June 1991