Photo.Petro.Chemical.Capital traces the mutual rise of photography and petrochemicals, revealing their hidden interdependence.
Through reimagined archival imagery and fossil-fuel-free techniques, May Artist of the Month Hannah Fletcher challenges the material and environmental foundations of both industries.
The exhibition presents a series of new works by Hannah Fletcher that address the intersection between the simultaneous rise of photographic media and the petrochemical industry. Using archival imagery from Shell Photographic Unit, Hannah has produced a series of low-toxicity, full colour analogue images, depicting insects (categorised by Shell as ‘pests’) on plants and crops.
Hannah’s works are not reliant on silver, like the original slides from Shell, but instead use iron salts and botanical toners to produce multicolour cyanotypes. These works offer a fossil-fuel free version of colour analogue photography, a medium otherwise inescapable from materials and chemicals derived from the petroleum industry.
The archival images from the 1950s highlight how photography was used to promote new petrochemical products, while also relying on petrochemicals to advance photographic materials and processes. This created a close, two-way relationship: photography depended on fossil fuel industries, and those industries dependant on photographic media to market and sell their products. By working with these archival images, Hannah is highlighting their interdependence, while simultaneously, demonstrating that an alternative future for photography might be possible.
Alongside the multicolour cyanotypes, Hannah is presenting a selection of other works that utilise waste petroleum products in their creation. Through this methodology of deconstructing analogue photographic materials and bringing them into contact with the contaminants of the industry they so heavily rely on, Hannah unveils hidden violences embedded in photographic materials and chemistries, and questions their legacies in the face of contemporary crisis.
You must book a ticket to view this exhibition.
The show will be open to visitors on:
- Wednesday 27 May, 11am - 6pm
- Thursday 28 May, 3pm - 5pm
- Sunday 31st May during the National Garden Scheme Open Day, from 11am to 3pm (tickets available here and on the door)
- Thursday 4 June, 11am - 5pm
- 6 & 7 of June from 10am to 4pm, coinciding with London Open Gardens (tickets available here and on the door).
In line with OmVed Gardens’ 2026 theme, Listening as Care, her practice stays open to learning from both human and nonhuman communities. She uses DIY, low-impact, and low-waste methods, often pushing the boundaries of photography to explore the relationships between materials, making, and the environment. Rather than trying to control or simply represent a subject, she lets materials and landscapes shape how images are created. Letting go of expectations and control becomes part of her process, allowing natural systems to play an active role in the work.
About the Artist
Hannah Fletcher by Josefina Astorga
Hannah Fletcher is a UK-based visual artist who works mainly with analogue photography. Her practice explores new ways of using photographic materials and processes, often focusing on more sustainable approaches that challenge consumer-driven methods. She is the founder of The Sustainable Darkroom (TSD), a charity and online community researching and sharing less toxic photographic techniques. She also co-directs the London Alternative Photography Collective, which promotes collaboration over individual practice.
https://www.hannahfletcher.com/ https://sustainabledarkroom.com/ @hfletch
About OmVed Gardens:
OmVed Gardens is a garden, exhibition, events, and learning space in North London exploring food, ecology, and creativity for climate resilience. Through regenerative gardening, seed saving, and food advocacy, we support communities, enhance biodiversity, and promote ecological education through creative practice.
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www.omvedgardens.com · @omvedgardens
Image credits: Alessandro Schneider
