Studio Holder Stephen Gouldin’s practice is grounded in industrial working life. Informed by research into Yorkshire mine vents, Last Breaths explores the impact of landscape reclamation on former local coal mining areas and the communities whose industrial heritage is starting to fade away from living memory. Gouldin explores how these vents act as a visible reminder of the coal mining history that disappeared after their closures. This is in contrast to the former textile mills in the north which although many have been repurposed, are still standing, and their architectural presence remaining a reminder of their history.
Gouldin examines how a community’s sense of identity and belonging was centered on the physical presence of the mine. His silkscreen prints of former working sites invite visitors to explore what has been lost, and are informed by conversations with former coal mining communities about their sense of belonging in these transformed environments.
