When Words Fail: Photomontage Workshop

Join artist Emily June Smith for a workshop exploring the creative capacity of photomontage to better understand ourselves and the people around us. Through the workshop we will consider: what possibilities open up when we turn to art, especially when words feel limited, fail us, or are not our main way of communicating?

Smith will share the context of her autobiographical practice, which creatively works through her experiences of living with autism and ADHD. She will guide you through each step of the photomontage process, from creating images, selecting works from personal archives and choosing textures to build layered montages.

You will create artworks that reflect how we can visually express feelings and experiences that are difficult to capture in words, opening new possibilities for sharing our perspectives. All materials will be provided and you are encouraged to bring a selection of photographs to include in the collage, alternatively you can use images in Autograph’s archive that will be provided on the day. You’ll get to take home your collages.

This workshop is programmed alongside Autograph's upcoming exhibition I Still Dream of Lost Vocabularies as part of the Methods of Making series. The exhibition considers whether constructed images can stand in for disputed – and often entangled – narratives when words fail.

The ticket price for this event is £10. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. If this ticket price is unaffordable for you, please get in touch with Harriet at harriet@autograph-abp.co.uk about free ticketing options.

Read more on Autograph's website

Workshop Lead by

Emily June Smith is a Romford-based neurodivergent visual artist, whose work diverges from traditional documentary photography to delve into personal and social contexts.

She graduated from Falmouth University in 2024 and is a founding member of Zinnia Collective. Smith’s artistic journey is profoundly influenced by her own experiences of living with a neurological disability. This personal history fuels her passionate commitment to amplifying the voices of misunderstood and underrepresented communities, shining a light on topics that often remain under explored. You can see more of Smith's work on her website.

Your Visit to Autograph

Everyone is welcome at Autograph. Planning a visit? Have a look at our Visit Us page to find out more about getting to the gallery, accessibility and more.

Limited tickets: Autograph's events are very popular. We reccomend booking in advance.

Accessible venue: Autograph welcomes people with all types of disabilities.

Seating: This is a seated event.

Step free: Our building and entrance is step free. A wheelchair accessible lift goes to all floors.

Location: This event will take place in the Studio on the ground floor.

Materials: The ticket price for this event includes materials.

Part of The Series

Join us at Autograph's gallery this autumn for our Methods of Making workshop series exploring contemporary approaches to montage, craft and digital methods of collage. Visit Autograph's website to read more about the workshops.

Ticketing policy

The ticket price for this event is £10. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. If this ticket price is unaffordable for you please get in touch with Harriet at harriet@autograph-abp.co.uk about free ticketing options. Autograph's events are popular, and often sell out. We recommend booking a ticket in advance. If you need to cancel your ticket for any reason, you can receive a refund up to 24 hours before the start of the event. You do not need to bring your paper ticket to the event.

Autograph supported by

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

I Still Dream of Lost Vocabularies is suppported by The African Arts Trust.

Autograph ABP Registered in England | VAT no. 244105051 | Registered Charity no. 1127712

Images: 1) Thato Toeba, Man on Fire [detail], 2017. Courtesy the artist. 2) Autograph, London. Photograph by Kate Elliot.