Green Shoots - Salad Days

By Lee Stronjnic

One of Liverpool's leading photographers has opened a new exhibition space in a vegetarian café on Lark Lane.
John McDonald who now works freelance but was formerly manager of the acclaimed Open Eye Gallery, wandered into the Green Days café for the first time earlier this year, and was immediately impressed by the good food, quality music, and especially the contemporary photography which was displayed there. This included images by William Eggleston, who was the first colour photographer to have his work shown in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
After approaching the owner of the café, he began staging exhibitions there, with local photographer Sandra Hiett being the first to exhibit, displaying landscapes of New Mexico.
McDonald currently has an exhibition of his own work at Green Days, titled 'John McDonald: Photography: Portraits: Travellers: Children: Liverpool 2005'. The show finishes on 6 January 2006.
He has specialised in taking portraits for many years, a notable example being one of Derek Hatton when he was deputy leader of Liverpool City Council, at a time when they were in bitter conflict with Margaret Thatcher's Tory Government.
Liverpool-based Colin Serjent - who had work displayed at the Kunst Salon in Berlin during the summer - will display examples of his abstract photography at the venue early next year.
"I intend to treat this enterprise as a hobby," said McDonald, "and get my friends and colleagues to exhibit in the café.”
He has worked on various photography projects, including working for Art in Regeneration, Creative Partnerships, and Artskills, as well as Creative Technology projects and shows.
McDonald has also taken photographs on behalf of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign group and the Duldzin Tibetan Buddhists who live In Liverpool.
He is currently working on a project - to be staged during the 2006 Liverpool Arts Biennial - which will involve collaborations with young mothers from Speke, who he met during the time he was working on his 'Madonna Project' in the region last year, and Lisa Oppenheim, a New York based artist. The project is part of the Biennial's Learning and Inclusion programme.
Titled 'Young Mums, Strong Women', the project will incorporate research on strong female personalities who are related to the social history of Liverpool, including Kitty Wilkinson and Bessie Braddock.

Green Days - the entrance is in Little Parkfield Road, on the corner of Lark Lane - is open seven days a week.
Examples of McDonald's work can be seen on his website www.photo-projects.co.uk
Anyone interested in exhibiting their photography at Green Days contact McDonald on john@photo-projects.co.uk