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An upcoming exhibition is set to explore the life of a Preston photographer’s grandad in relation to the city’s history.
Megan Mechelle Dalton will be displaying her project – titled In Absence from Preston – at The Birley from Friday 19 July to Saturday 10 August.
Megan, who currently works in London, grew up in Ashton and attended Penwortham Girls’ High School and Cardinal Newman College.
Megan’s photography is described as ‘timeless’ and is said to ‘capture the interplay of light and shadow, transforming simple scenes into dynamic visual narratives’.
Her practice has extended to editorial commissions and features for the likes of The British Journal of Photography, The Government Art Collection and The Financial Times.
In Absence from Preston is, however, a very personal project for Megan being as it focusses on her grandad, John Boothby.
Speaking to Blog Preston, Megan said: “I began working on this project, without knowing what it would become, shortly before my grandad passed in 2019. I sat him down to record an interview where I asked him to retell stories from his life, with no particular focus or topic.
“After his passing, I came across his old photograph albums. The works within this album were of Preston and his travels between 1939 and 1959. Although he was formerly a police officer for Preston Borough, his photographs demonstrated the skillset of a working photographer; all beautifully framed, correctly exposed, and candid.”
Megan initially used the stories and photographs in 2020 to create a self-published book titled In Absence.
“I restored his photographs and created a narrative from the stories he had told me in the recorded interview,” said Megan. “I also created a series of photographs, responding to his photographs, that documented Preston and his home.”
Megan spent some time deciding how to approach the recorded interview, resulting in the video piece In Absence from Preston, which was released in 2022.
“The video tells John’s story whilst shedding light on Preston’s history and its people. One part discusses how my grandma was taken ill and every neighbour came around knocking, asking if they needed food or washing.
“These snippets of history mixed with human stories is what motivated me to create and share the project. The narrative centres around my grandad, but the wider narrative looks at the community and how the community forges its own history within a city.”
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The In Absence from Preston exhibition is Megan’s first solo exhibition. It features John’s photographs from 1939 to 1959, plus Megan’s work from 2019 to 2022, supported by archive ephemera and family heirlooms.
Megan said: “The exhibition brings together pieces of John’s history and pieces of Prestonian history that I hope will evoke some nostalgia, regional interest and celebrate Preston as a city.”
The exhibition venue also has a special meaning to the project.
“The Birley is situated in the former Preston Borough Police building, where John used to work. Being able to exhibit this work for the first time in this space feels like the final piece of this project’s puzzle – I’m bringing the work and the archive ephemera to its rightful home.”
She added: “I’m thrilled to be exhibiting my first solo show in my hometown; being able to bring together friends new and old for the exhibition, to raise a glass to my grandad and his life.”
The exhibition will begin with a private view on Friday 19 July from 6pm to 8pm, which Blog Preston reader are invited to attend.
To find out more, visit the Megan Dalton website or follow @meganmechelledalton on Instagram.
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This story was made possible by support from you, our readers, and a host of organisations in the city, through our Crowdfund Lancashire appeal, which unlocked support from the Lancashire Culture and Sport Fund provided by Lancashire County Council. You can see all our coverage and, if you know of an arts project or event in the city we should be covering, send details to contactus@blogpreston.co.uk.
