Artist: Dianne Minnicucci

What does it mean to be unguarded? What do we reveal of ourselves to each other?

In our culture preoccupied with outward appearances, Dianne Minnicucci explores how vulnerability and discomfort in front of the camera can become acts of self-discovery and collaboration. She embraces the unease of being photographed – where to look, how to position the body – allowing these moments of uncertainty to shape this new series of portraits of herself and her young son.

Set within the ancient woodland of Abbey Wood in South London, Minnicucci’s poetic black-and-white images foreground her roles as artist, mother and teacher. Layers of light and fragmentation draw attention to subtle shifts in body language, inviting us to consider what it means to be truly vulnerable. As gestures slip behind leaves or linger in dappled light, the artist asks: what does it mean to be unguarded? What do we reveal of ourselves to each other?

Central to Belonging and Beyond is Minnicucci’s role as a secondary school photography teacher. For six months, she brought her studio into the classroom, challenging traditional student-teacher hierarchies. Teaching and the act of making photographs are not separate but deeply intertwined, each enriching the other in a continuous cycle of discovery. By merging these practices, the studio was redefined – no longer a solitary space, but one of shared dialogue and inquiry. Encouraging her students to embrace discomfort in their creative process, she, in turn, did the same.

In her own words: “I see them not just as my students, but as collaborators. Bringing my photographic practice into the classroom created a dynamic space where we could share and grow together as makers, exchanging ideas through open and honest conversation.”