ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE
STARS IN THEIR EYES
MIRIAM BALANESCU GETS TO KNOW THE ASTOUNDING ARTISTS OF ALL DISCIPLINES CARVING OUT SPACE FOR THEMSELVES – IN THE CITY AND BEYOND
A DAY IN THE LIFE Author Elizabeth Day is just one of the stars Alexandra Cameron has photographed
panning everything from a buzzing spoken word scene to a flourishing games design industry, Cambridge is a cradle for creatives across all
spheres. In facr, data suggests the region is one of the UK’s top ten locations to work in the artistic pursuits, employing nearly 15,000 people. Perhaps the city’s history as a hive of innovation has made it such a creative hotbed, harbouring an eclectic host of visionaries making themselves known in the nation and overseas. With funding scarce and artistic dens under threat, Cambridge’s bounty of venues, studios and spaces have played a crucial part in nurturing new discoveries. The city has had more than its fair share of wave-makers, from Ai Weiwei to Charli XCX – but there is a whole new wave of Cambridge creatives ready to step up to the plate and make their mark. Allow us to introduce you...
ALEXANDRA CAMERON, PHOTOGRAPHER Alexandra Cameron made her first
her work; in 2020, she photographed model Nyome Nicholas-Williams
foray into photography – a skill that has launched her to viral heights and landed her in the pages of national newspapers – in her final year of studying film at university. “I loved film,” she says, “but when I got my first camera, I enjoyed how immediate photography was.” Freelancing for the past 13 years, it was when Alexandra hit upon natural light photography, inspired by fellow photographers on Flickr, that she found a trademark style. Frankness underpins
against the backdrop of a vintage sheet wearing only a pair of shorts. The ensuing fiasco of Instagram censorship, exposing racial prejudice on the platform, brought Alexandra to widespread attention. “I grew up with size-zero gossip mags and the world telling you you’re not good enough,” Alexandra reflects. “I loved creating a space where women could feel safe, insecurities were respected, but
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