Emily Thornhill
Emily Thornhill is a photographer and visual artist based in the South West of England. Her practice is influenced by her love of the natural world that stemmed from a childhood spent in rural Cornwall. Her personal work is informed by her an interests in religion, philosophy and history, and explores the relationship between humanity and our surrounding environment.
Emily experiments with alternative photographic processes and found photography by collecting and incorporating organic substances and natural matter into her practice. Her extensive project-based research spans across literary, historical, philosophical, geographical, political and personal references, and is crucial to fully
God's Little Acre
A typological study of the often forgotten chapels of Cornwall, that reside in the most secluded of places. The design and creation of each church is an expression of the beliefs of all those involved, with each building acting as a haven from the outside world.
Sacred Places
The purpose and use of the megalithic sites we see remains of today have always been a mystery to us and look like they always will. This series celebrates the different interpretations for their creation that have evolved over time through local folklore, allegory, myth and legend.
Land of the Saints
An exploration into the continued layering of human history that is routed within the earth itself. Focusing on places that are dedicated to saints, in an attempt to identify aspects of their nature that evoke ideas of the sacred and holy.
Native
Created in pursuit of a native tongue now only spoken by the land itself, where there echoes a collective memory, hidden in the names of places. These are places I call home. Their names exist within a language that is 1500 years old, but no longer spoken or understood.