Karl Bailey is an artist and photographer based in Portsmouth, UK. His practice explores the friction between one's social environment and identity, which is informed by the artist's own working-class upbringing.
His work oscillates between conceptual and documentary approaches, using photography as a tool to demystify the complexities of place. This involves observing and capturing the political and economic shifts of his locality to interrogate the role of class, history, and culture that has shaped the community's social infrastructure.
Through this sustained investigation, he reveals how structural forces are imprinted upon the most intimate aspects of an individual's reality, establishing a dialogue between belonging, memory and social conditions.
Personal memory is often intertwined with a post-documentary methodology. Bailey explores familial heritage and philosophical concepts of hauntology and temporal existentialism, ultimately making sense of one's constructed identity by amalgamating layers of personal and past experiences.
Karl is the founder and director of Pompey Darkroom, a visual arts organisation enabling photographers and artists, aspiring and existing, to consider photography as a way to critically engage with the world. In the Summer of 2025, he successfully received Arts Council funding to build a darkroom in the heart of the city centre.
Alongside his work with Pompey Darkroom, he has been a recipient of a DYCP grant in 2022 as well as an Arts Council project grant to continue and develop his own practice. He is Creative Engagement Manager at Aspex Portsmouth and has over 10 years of experience working in the SEND sector.
Exhibitions, Awards, Publications, Features
2019:
Hidden Southsea, Playdead
2020:
British Analog Collective - Sports
Covid 19 Arts Ads Billboard, Portsmouth
‘Portsmouth, My Portsmouth’ - We Create Market, Sept-Dec
Quaranzine, Pample Mouse Publishing
2021:
Findrangers - Issue 19
What Are You Grateful For?
4 Stops Zine - Travel
Grapefruit Volume 1, Pample Mouse Publishing
‘Community’ Projection for Portsmouth, We Shine Festival
Here & There, Joyfantastic, Portsmouth
A Collaborative Arts Plan for Southsea & Portsmouth
2022:
What Brings You Love?
Arts Council Grant Develop Your Creative Practice
Mash Up, w/ Pompey Banana Club & Ashley John
Aspex Artist Residency
Then There Was Us, Annual Publication
British Journal of Photography, Portrait of Britain, Shortlisted
2023:
New Shoots, Artspace Portsmouth
Fractals Degree Show, University of Portsmouth
Work In Progress, The Imagination Refinery
Offsite Members Group Show, Open Studios - Artspace, Portsmouth
Fractals Degree Show, Free Range London
Photo Monitor 2023 Commendation for ‘A Stones Throw’
Picturing Highstreets England, Digital Billboards Across the Country
‘Another World’ WIP Wall, Pitt Street Skatepark
‘A Stones Throw’ Shortlisted for ArtsThread Global Design Graduate Show 2023
Platform Graduate Award, Aspex Portsmouth
2024:
Another World, Pitt St Skatepark
Open Studios Exhibition, Artspace, Portsmouth
Our Portsmouth, Photo Fringe
2025:
Photofrom Festival
Community Stories, Playland, Portsmouth, Supported by Arts Council England
Open Studios, Artspace, Portsmouth