My creative practice is a fine-art practice that, whilst rooted in photography, combines with other mediums and activities, to draw attention to the developing situations of inequality and imbalance in the arts and wider public life. I use expanded photography to examine the construction and circulation of female social images and to better understand the image-making practices and image-circulation systems that I am attracted to and excluded from as well as surrounded and targeted by.
My artwork has been exhibited nationally in selected group exhibitions at Richard Saltoun Gallery (2020, 2019), Format Festival (2013), Towner Gallery (2010) Jerwood Space (2007), The Lisson Gallery (2003), and internationally at Bild Museet, Sweden (2011), and Oslo Kunsthall, Norway (2002) My artwork is held in public collections such as The Grosvenor Estate Collection, UK, and The Birth Rites Collection, UK, and in private collections in Germany, the USA and UK.
Contact email: liv@livpennington.com
Link to Economic work profile on linkedin
Education
PhD Fine Art (practice based), UCA, 2015-2023
MA Photography, Royal College of Art, London, 2001-2003
Guest Student, Norwegian National Academy of Art, Oslo, 1998 - 1999
BA (Hons) Fine Art, Middlesex University, London 1994-1997
Solo Exhibitions
2025 Always too much and never enough, Strange Cargo, Cheriton, Kent
2019 Con$ent, The Herbert Read Gallery, UCA, Canterbury
2018 Content, Brewery Tap, UCA Project Space, Folkestone
2015 How do you stand being a woman? The Quarterhouse (WOW Folkestone Commission)
2014 Outburst, B&B space, Folkestone
2005 Pick n Mix, Wuthering Heights Gallery, Malmo, Sweden (Photography in focus festival)
Awards, Commissions & Residencies
2025 Artist in Resident – Community Studio @ Folkestone Museum, Folkestone Fringe
2023 Art in Romney Marsh commission ‘A Sirens Call’
2023 Exeter Arts Week Public Art Commission – in partnership with Jonathan Wright
2014 WOW Folkestone @The Quarterhouse
2011 The Birthrites Collection
2003 Helen Hamlyn ‘Design for our future selves’ shortlist
2002/3 The Grosvenor Photography Prize
Exhibitions
2024 Neighbourhood Photogrammetry Lab Showcase, Kollectiv, Folkestone
2023 VR Showcase, Screen South @ The Brewery Tap, Folkestone
2023 Exeter Mobile Arts School, Performance, various locations Exeter town centre, Exeter
2023 A Sirens Call, Art in Romney Marsh, St George’s Church, Ivychurch, Kent
2020 Part 2: Maternality, Richard Saltoun Gallery, London, curated by Catherine McCormack
2019 Part 1: Matrescence, Richard Saltoun Gallery, London, curated by Catherine McCormack
2017 Touching the Void: When the physical collides with the virtual, CRATE, Margate
2017 Somatic Shifts, Zandra Rhodes Gallery, UCA Rochester
2016 Gender Generation, Dyson Gallery, Royal College of Art
2015 The Dead Pony Show, 64 Tontine Street, Folkestone
2014 Where are we now? Georges House Gallery, Folkestone
2013 Factory, FORMAT International Photography Festival, Derby
2011 Open Art, Orebro, Sweden
2011 Check in & Check out, Harbourside, Folkestone Triennial Fringe
2011 KO-AX, Mascalls Gallery, Paddock Wood
2010 Perfection, Critical Dictionary edition 23
2010 Yuko Nasu & Liv Pennington, CoExist Arts, Southend
2010 Exquisite Corpse, Core Gallery, London
2010 Birthrites, Islington Mill, Manchester
2010 East Sussex Open, Towner Gallery, Eastbourne
2009 The Affluenza Exhibition, London
2009 Tickle Attack, Backlight 8th International Photographic Triennial, Photographic Centre Nykyaika, Finland
2008 Foto 8 Award & Summer Show, Host Gallery, London
2008 Through the lens, RWA 1st Photography Open, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
2008 Face Value, Oriel Mostyn, Wales
2007 As Serious as Your Life, Bild Museet, Umea, Sweden
2007 Deep Inspiration, Jerwood Space, London
2006 The Responsibility of Forms, Atkinson Gallery, Somerset
2004 Polaroid, 39 Mitchell Street, London
2004 Pause, Hotbath Gallery, Bath
2004 Evolution, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery, Shrewsbury
2004 New Graduates 04, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
2004 The Figure and the Face, Orleans House Gallery, Richmond
2003 The Distance Between Me and You, Lisson Gallery, London
2003 Grosvenor Commission, 70 Grosvenor Street, London
2003 Show one, Royal College of Art, London (Performance & Exhibition)
2003 Time share, The Barge House, OXO Tower, London
2003 another way is possible, Royal College of Art, London
2002 Bjorvika, Oslo Kunsthall, Norway (Performance – Aug 17)
2002 Club, Le Confort Moderne, Poitiers, France (Performance & Exhibition)
2002 Sledge, The Jam Factory, London
2000 Resolution, Photographic Centre, Thessalonica, Greece
1999 Avgangutstilling Stenersen Museet, Oslo, Norway
1999 Nar nettene blir lange, Atelier Nord, Oslo, Norway
Conferences, Artist Talks & Workshops
2025 Always too much and never enough, Strange Cargo (Artist talk & gallery tour)
2023 Working with Public Art(ists) Exeter Arts Week (Arts Project Manager Talk)
2021 Managing Art-Work, Creative Folkestone Triennial, Folkestone (Arts Worker Talk)
2020 Futurity, UCA Research Conference (Academic Presentation)
2020 Birthrites Summer School, (Artist talk)
2020 Visions of Reproductions, Queen Mary’s, Being Human Festival (Artist talk)
2020 Art & Motherhood - Marguerite @ Richard Saltoun Gallery, London
2019 Artist Masterclass, UCA, MA Fine Art (Workshops)
2018 Visualising Reproduction, De Montford University (Co-presenting with Dr Jesse Olszynko-Gryn)
2018 Temporal Connection, UCA (Academic Presentation)
2016 Gender Generation, Royal College of Art (Academic Presentation)
2015 Arts & Feminism Panel, WOW Festival Folkestone, Quarterhouse (Artist talk)
2013 Old Chapel Upminster (Victorian Photography Workshop & Talk)
2011 Birth Rites symposia: Whitworth Museum, Manchester and The Whitechapel Gallery, Londonn(Artist talk)
2010 Artists & Curators in dialogue, Core Gallery, London (Artist Talk)
2007 BK Art Academy, Belgrade, Serbia (Artist Talk)
2007 Raw Canvas, Tate Modern (Getting your Portfolio ready for interview workshop for 17+)
2006 Photoforum, Four Corners, London (Artist Talk)