Metro Spotlight – Hi-Noon

16.10.2020

Hi-Noon Editions is a collective of established artists that have come together with a positive and uplifting message that champions the arts and promotes openness and a convivial approach to creativity. I took time out during these challenging times to chat with the team about the collective and its aims.

The collective is made up of respected and established artists, is there a distinct reason why you all came together to form the collective and how closely does it align to your individual perspectives, are you using the platform to have its own unique voice?

WE ARE ARTISTS, EDUCATORS, CURATORS AND WRITERS, AND OUR VISION FOR HI-NOON IS INFORMED BY OUR LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PRACTICE AND THEORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY.

THIS PUTS HI-NOON IN A UNIQUE POSITION, WHERE WE HAVE ON THE GROUND KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF THE DEBATES AND CONCERNS THAT AFFECT PHOTOGRAPHIC PRACTICE AND HOW THEY SHIFT AND EVOLVE OVER TIME, BOTH WITHIN THE ACADEMY AS WELL AS IN STUDIOS AND ARTISTIC COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD

FOR US, LONG-TERM INVOLVEMENT WITH OTHER ARTISTS AND THE ROBUST AND SUSTAINED DIALOGUE IT INVOLVES, ALONG WITH THE PLEASURES OF PEER SUPPORT, AND OF NURTURING A COMMUNITY OF EMERGING ARTISTS ARE PARAMOUNT.

WE CAME TOGETHER BECAUSE WE SENSED THAT WE WERE IN A POSITION TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING POSITIVE, EXCITING AND UNIQUE TO AN INCREASINGLY MARKET DRIVEN ENVIRONMENT THAT HAD BEGUN TO FEEL AS IF THE AGENDA WAS BEING SET BY PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS WITH INTERESTS EXTERNAL TO THE NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF ARTISTS.

At Metro Imaging we have experienced an increase in online sales via our self-service options since Lockdown. Do you believe that people’s willingness to purchase art online has shifted, and if so do you think it will remain or will there always be a desire to view work in a physical space, say in a gallery or at an art fair?

WORKS OF ART BOTH LOOK AND FEEL DIFFERENT ONLINE TO HOW THEY DO IN REAL LIFE – AND BOTH OF THOSE CONTEXTS CAN BE SEDUCTIVE IN THEIR OWN WAY.

WHAT SEEMS TO DRIVE OUR SALES MOST EFFECTIVELY IS OUR COMMITMENT TO ONGOING AND SUSTAINED DIALOGUE, WHETHER THAT BE ONLINE, OR IRL.

TECHNOLOGY ENABLES US TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN GLOBAL CONNECTIONS; OUR EDITIONS ARE ACCESSIBLE ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND IT IS EXCITING TO DISCOVER THAT HI-NOON IS REACHING FAR BEYOND THE ESTABLISHED ART SCENE CAPITALS TO DIVERSE AND FAR-FLUNG PLACES – AN AMAZING TIME FOR US TO CONNECT TO A WORLD BEYOND THE LOCAL SCENE.

OUR PRICING STRUCTURE ALSO APPEALS TO COLLECTORS WORLD-WIDE. WE HAVE A CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT APPROACH, WHERE THE PRICE IS SET LOW WHEN A NEW EDITION IS LAUNCHED, AND THEN RAISED AS THE EDITION SELLS OUT – MEANING THAT COLLECTORS ALWAYS KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.

Can you explain a bit about how you invite artists to join Hi-Noon and what it is that you are looking for?

HI-NOON IS AN ENTERPRISE, A PHILOSOPHY AND AN APPROACH TO PHOTOGAPHY THAT FOREGROUNDS CRITICAL REFLECTION, WHILST ACKNOWLEDGING AND CELEBRATING THE PLEASURES OF THE VISUAL.

In regard to selecting images for release as limited editions; how do you go about the editing process and as you are all established artists with gallery and museum representation are their certain works which are off limits?

GIVEN THE RIGHT APPROACH, NOTHING IS OFF LIMITS. OUR OUTLOOK IS SIDE-WAYS. EXPECT SOME SURPRISING NEW WORKS ON HI-NOON SOON…

The current challenges we are faced with as a creative community are unprecedented, do you see value in being in a collective and do you view your own practice differently since joining forces? Also, is there anything that you are currently working on that you could share with us today?

WE NO LONGER EXIST IN KNOWLEDGE SILOS; TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS FOR A SHARING AND AQUIRING OF EXPERTISE, IDEAS, INSPIRATION. WORKING TOGETHER WITH OTHERS, FORMING NEW ALLIANCES WITH ARTISTS IS ABOUT TRUST AND RESPECT AND THE ENJOYMENT OF DIALOGUE.

AS ARTISTS WE ARE OURSELVES VERY MUCH IMMERSED IN CREATIVE DECISION MAKING, AND THE MATERIAL CHALLENGES OF MAKING WORK. OUR ARTISTIC PRACTICE IS THE BASIS OF OUR PEDAGOGICAL WORK AND IT ALSO INFORMS OUR WORK WITH HI-NOON.

IN SHORT, WE EMBRACE AND ENJOY A RIGORUOUS DISCOURSE THAT IS TEMPERED BY INTUITION. WE HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF DIRECTION YET WE ARE ALSO SLIGHTLY RESTLESS, AND PASSIONATELY IMPULSIVE, WITH A TENDENCY TOWARDS UNEXPECTED DETOURS!

Image 1  © High Noon
Image 2  ©  Chooc Ly Tan, Billboard
Image 3  ©  Giulia Palarto
Image 4  ©  Sophy Rickett
Image 5  ©  Felicity Hammond