The Catch by Carmen Marcus

For over 700 years, fishing has been a major industry and way of life for those living on this stretch of coastline. The Catch is an ongoing project developed for The Redcar Palace by Carmen Marcus and Kev Howard which celebrates some of the traditions and stories associated with this industry.

Carmen is a poet and novelist from Saltburn whose family has been involved in the Redcar fishing trade for many generations. Kev Howard is a photographer who grew up by the sea in Marske. Together they have spent the last six months talking to others in the fishing community; telling their stories in their own words. Alongside the images by Kev, Carmen has produced a series of podcasts which will be released over the course of this exhibition. You can also listen to Carmen introducing the project through the headset, surrounded by memorabilia relating to her family.

The large format photographs will change three times during this exhibition as different stories emerge, starting with the life of a single boat - the Daisy Ellen which was named after Carmen’s Grandmother. This will be followed by the story of Fisherman’s Square and the fishing life and conclude with the Bait School, a depiction of the baithouses where fishing bait was prepared, pots and nets mended and where the traditions of the trade were passed on through the generations.

The Catch has been led on behalf of Tees Valley Arts by Grace Redpath.