معرفی
Sarah Pickering is an Associate Professor in Fine Art at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London (UCL), where she has been actively contributing to undergraduate, graduate, and PhD student practice-led research since 2008. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges fine art photography with scientific and emergency service practices, resulting in internationally recognized work exhibited in over 71 venues worldwide.
Her research centers on themes of falsity and deception, using photographic image-making as a method to examine mediated versions of reality. Pickering investigates subjects including fakes, tests, hierarchy, science-fiction, explosions, photography, and gunfire through an intense scrutiny of their implications. Her work often involves collaboration with scientists, police, pickpockets, fire services, forensic investigators, historians, and firearms experts, creating innovative interdisciplinary engagement that has positioned her as a leading figure in photographic fine art practice.
Pickering's artistic output shows a consistent exploration of simulated environments and staged realities. Her most recent works examine constructed spaces related to conflict, national identity, and scientific concepts, while maintaining her signature focus on the relationship between truth and perception. The articles reflect her evolving interest in how society represents and processes traumatic events, with increasing attention to political divisions, gender studies, and interdisciplinary connections between art and science.
Pickering has made significant contributions to academic discourse through her role as co-founder of the Global Photographies Network, established in 2020 with partners across multiple international institutions. She has supervised PhD researchers including Feiyi Wen, Dana Ariel (both completed), and currently supervises Richard Muller (Geography) and Lucy Helton (Slade School of Fine Art). Her teaching spans over 20 years, including tutorials and talks at 22 universities worldwide.
Her work is held in significant art collections including Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum of Art USA, and the Victoria & Albert Museum UK. Pickering's monograph Explosions, Fires & Public Order (124 pages) was published by Aperture, and her work has been featured in key survey books on photographic practice since 2006.
