Ben Uri Research Unit

Born: 1970 Bremen, Germany

Year of Migration to the UK: 1986

Other name/s: Julia Fullerton-Batten FRPS

Biography

Photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten was born to a German mother and British father in Bremen, Germany, in 1970. Her early life was spent between Germany and the USA. From 1972–79, she lived in Pennsylvania, USA, where her passion for photography began, frequently observing her father developing photographs in his darkroom as a hobby. In 1986, following her parents' divorce, Fullerton-Batten moved to England, aged 16. She completed her secondary education and pursued photography at the Royal Berkshire College of Art and Design, graduating with a BTEC in Photography in 1992. To gain practical experience, she spent five years as a freelance photo assistant, working with various professional photographers from 1994–2000. This period was pivotal, as it allowed her to hone her technical skills and understand the intricacies of the photographic process.

Fullerton-Batten's professional career took off in 2001 when she began working as a photographer in her own right. Initially focusing on commercial photography, her creative ambitions soon led her to fine art photography, where her unique style, characterised by cinematic lighting, staged tableaux, and narrative-driven images, quickly garnered attention. Deeply influenced by a broad spectrum of artistic sources and her keen observation of the world around her, Fullerton-Batten draws particular inspiration from Edward Hopper. She incorporates Hopper's realistic depictions of life and his mastery of light and composition to convey mood and narrative within her photographs. Her cinematic approach, drawing from both film and television techniques, enhances the narrative quality of her work, allowing her to construct visually compelling stories that engage viewers on multiple levels. She continually studies the works of both classical and contemporary artists, infusing her images with symbolic elements, such as fresh and decaying fruit or flowers to represent the transient nature of human existence, thereby adding layers of meaning and evoking a deeper emotional response from her audience. Drawing inspiration from William Eggleston’s 'timeless' and 'striking' palette (Dodho Interview), Fullerton-Batten’s masterful use of colour is crucial in establishing the mood and tone of her images, effectively guiding the viewer’s interpretation of the narrative.

One of Fullerton-Batten’s most notable projects is Teenage Stories (2005). This semi-autobiographical work draws from her own experiences growing up in Germany, the USA, and England, and reflects the impact of her parents' divorce. It explores the emotional dynamics of female adolescence, portraying the self-consciousness, mood swings, and vulnerability of teenage girls. The images are surreal and dreamlike, capturing the inner world of her subjects. Feral Children (2015), was inspired by Marina Chapman's autobiography, The Girl with No Name. This series reimagines the lives of children who grew up isolated from human society, often in the wild. Fullerton-Batten meticulously researched each story, using child models to depict the isolation, strength, and vulnerability of these children.

Fullerton-Batten’s work also explores historical and social themes. in Blind (2013), she explored the lives and experiences of blind individuals, photographing a series of blind models against backgrounds of their choosing, challenging the limitations of a medium reliant on vision and prompting viewers to reconsider their notions of normality. Her work began to tackle broader social commentaries, such as aspirations and social prejudices in Unadorned (2012), and the sexual mistreatment of servants in the Edwardian period in In Service (2014). Her ongoing series Old Father Thames (2018–24) explores extraordinary stories associated with the River Thames. From historical events such as Annette Kellerman's swim to more recent occurrences like the Thames Whale, Fullerton-Batten captures the drama and significance of each story through her lens. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fullerton-Batten embarked on a new project titled Looking out from Within (2020¬–21). With regular large-scale photoshoots halted, she captured the isolation and resilience of west London residents by photographing them through their windows. Using minimal equipment and often with the help of her young son, this intimate and cinematic series reflects the surreal and solitary experience of lockdown. The project, reminiscent of Edward Hopper's work, aims to create a lasting visual record of this unprecedented period in history. Contortion (2021) is a striking series that explores the ancient art of contortionism, capturing the elegance, grace, and dramatic physicality of young contortionists, in which Fullerton-Batten draws parallels between the contortionists' bodily flexibility and the emotional contortions experienced during the pandemic. Through these images, she evokes a sense of optimism and resilience, highlighting the human spirit's ability to adapt and find beauty amid adversity.

Fullerton-Batten's work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally. Her solo exhibitions have included the National Portrait Gallery, London (2006) and her images featured on the front cover of A Guide to Collecting Contemporary Photography (Thames and Hudson, 2012). She has received several awards, including the Fondation HSBC pour la Photographie and Hasselblad Master in Fine Art and was shortlisted for the Prix Pictet. She is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS). Julia Fullerton-Batten currently lives in Chiswick, London, England. In the UK public domain, her work is represented in the National Portrait Gallery collection.

Related books

Julia Fullerton-Batten, Looking Out from Within (Barcelona: SYL, 2021)
True Fictions: Fotografia Visionaria dagli Anni Settanta a Oggi [Visionary Photography from the 1970s until Today] (Cinisello Balsamo: SilvanaEditoriale, 2020)
Julia Fullerton-Batten, Alessia Glaviano and Helen Tootsi, The Act (London: Sutherl & Editions, 2017)
A Guide to Collecting Contemporary Photography (London: Thames and Hudson, 2012) (cover image)
Julia Fullerton-Batten: Teenage Stories (Arles, Paris: Fondation HSBC pour la Photographie, 2007)
'A Picture Of Health, Images by Julia Fullerton-Batten', British Journal of Photography, 21 June 2006

Public collections

National Portrait Gallery

Selected exhibitions

Foto8 SummerShow, group exhibition, London (2011)
David Rohans Creative Showcase, group exhibition, Grove Hotel, Hertfordshire (2009)
Independent Photographers Gallery, group exhibition, IPG (Terry O’Neill Awards) (2009)
Getty Gallery, group exhibition, IPG (Terry O’Neill Awards), London (2009)
Hereford Photo Festival, group exhibition, Hereford (2009)
Love & Money – 50 years of Creative Britain, group exhibition, London (2009)
Sotheby’s Auction House, group exhibition, London (2008)
Photo 50, group exhibition, London Art Fair, London (2008)
A Picture of Health, solo exhibition, National Portrait Gallery, London (2006)
Teenage Stories, solo exhibition, Charing X Gallery, London (2006)
Photo-London, group exhibition, Royal Academy, London (2006)
New, Modern and Contemporary Art Fair, group exhibition, Olympia, London (2006)
Photo-London, group exhibition, Royal Academy, London (2005)

Ben Uri archive

Consult items in the Ben Uri archive related to [Julia Fullerton-Batten ]

Ben Uri Research Unit

for the study and digital recording of the Jewish, Refugee and wide Immigrant contribution to British visual culture since 1900.

Julia Fullerton-Batten photographer