James Goodchild/ Landscapes

James Goodchild is a photographic artist, researcher, and educator whose work centres on the philosophical implications of photography as a medium for experiencing and interpreting landscape. Within his practice, photography is used not merely as a form of representation, but as a metaphorical lens through which ontological questions of presence and perception are explored. His work invites viewers to engage with landscapes in a deeply personal way, encouraging a reflexive relationship between observer and observed. His ongoing research continues to expand how surroundings are perceived and embodied, contributing to discourse in both photography and contemporary art studies. He is currently undertaking a practice-led PhD at the University of Leeds. For over two decades, James Goodchild has been deeply engaged with photography and the creative arts. His experience includes exhibiting work, teaching, and developing collaborative partnerships with artists and institutions.

Hiraeth is a Welsh word that embodies a longing for home that transcends mere homesickness. It is a profound yearning, a sorrowful separation from one’s homeland, threaded with an inherent understanding that true peace can only be felt upon return. Yet, even in a reunion with the land of Wales, hiraeth remains tinged with loss; it carries the knowledge that something essential will always be absent, and that this sense of incompleteness becomes a familiar state of being.

Throughout this photographic series, I engage directly with the landscape, each image shaped by an intimate interaction with place. My work seeks to grapple with the intangible nature of hiraeth, acknowledging that any approach may be fragmentary, partial, or incomplete. By gathering these fragments, I aspire to create a cohesive experience, drawing together the disparate threads of longing and belonging.

Rooted in the natural environment of Wales, these images assemble countless particles—each photograph, each material object—into a constellation of interconnected relationships. Through this process, both the materiality of the works and their subjects become vessels for exploring and expressing hiraeth. I hope that this body of work contributes to a renewed, collective cultural understanding of hiraeth, and offers a visual language for navigating its tender, persistent ache.