The Personal Reportage Project

A body of work based on visits to locations

The Residents are responsible for the planning and execution of a personal reportage project, which entails the creation of a body of work based on visits to locations for which they must negotiate access. Upon completion of the project, the Residents will present their work to a select audience. Previous projects have investigated topics such as the construction of Cross-Rail, the Gypsy Horse Fair at Stow-on-the-Wold, Animal Assisted Therapy, the Hare Krishna Food for Life Programme and homelessness in Oxford, the Jungle in Calais, bonfire night in Lewes, and gentrification within London.

The young artists who have successfully completed the Chronicle Residency Programme are given opportunities to work as freelance artists-correspondents at Topolski Studio.

Program of Fellowships in the Chronicle

The work that the Fellows of Topolski Studio do is very similar to that of Feliks Topolski. They report on current issues and events through drawing no matter where in the world they are, and then send their copy to Topolski Studio so that it can be printed on our printing press and distributed in the local community as well as to subscribers all over the world. Josh Morris began his investigation into image making and reportage illustration through the medium of visual journalism while he was a student at the University of Central Lancashire, where he majored in Illustration. Sincerity, spontaneity, and the ability to depict and evoke a human response through the medium of drawing are the guiding principles behind his work. Josh's objective is to do his part to ensure that contemporary illustration as a form of reportage maintains its significance.

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LOUIS VINET

Louis Vinet moved to London after graduating from the Arts University at Bournemouth in 2013. He received his degree in 2013. He drives around the city in his battered Peugeot with the trunk stuffed full of art supplies on a regular basis in search of interesting things to draw and places to draw them. He is the owner of four cats. If you happen to run into him while he is working as a freelance illustrator, be sure to have some food and water on you so that you can offer him some assistance.

ALEX NICHOLSON

Drawing is the foundation of everything that Matt does, and he received his degree in illustration from Kingston University in 2013. He is currently employed as a printmaker, an illustrator, and a workshop assistant, and he enjoys having a varied practice. He is always on the road, looking for new and interesting places, subjects, and experiences to draw inspiration from, and to research. He utilizes reportage illustration not only as a conclusion to a project but also as a starting point to spark additional ideas and steer work in a variety of different directions.

ALEX NICHOLSON

The Norwich University of the Arts was Alex's educational institution of choice. In an effort to blur the line between illustration and journalism, he cites Hergé, Olivier Kugler, and the journalist Jon Ronson as some of his influences. He has been a visiting guest lecturer at Norwich University of the Arts and Camberwell College of the Arts, and he has also been considered for a Reportager award, which recognizes and honors outstanding achievement in the field of reportage drawing. The Journal of the London Society, Crossrail, and Hallmark Cards were among his previous clients when he worked as a freelancer. He has established a home and career in South Korea at the present time.