Exhibition celebrating Birmingham photographer Rhonda Wilson

The work and activism of Birmingham photographer Rhonda Wilson MBE are being celebrated with the launch of a new exhibition and community archive.

Opening at The Old Print Works in Balsall Heath, Seeing Rhonda marks the public debut of the Rhonda Wilson Community Archive - a living, community-rooted collection tracing more than three decades of Wilson’s creative and cultural impact.

Bringing together photographs, letters, posters and publications alongside personal notes, sketches and overlooked ephemera, the project reveals not just what Wilson created but how she worked, collaborated and built opportunities for others.

The project was initiated by Dr Annette Naudin, Associate Professor at Birmingham City University (BCU), in partnership with The Old Print Works and in collaboration with PRISM Photography Network.

Seeing Rhonda presents Birmingham-born Wilson, who died in 2014, as more than a photographer. A cultural entrepreneur, journalist, educator and activist, she spent more than 30 years championing others and reshaping the photography landscape in Birmingham and beyond.

Her constructed social documentary style of photography was driven by her commitment to addressing issues of women’s representation, low pay and homelessness.

Personal letters included in the archive offer a powerful insight into her impact, documenting how her support shaped careers and opened doors for emerging photographers.

The exhibition and archive also highlight women whose contributions have too often been overlooked in formal collections, reframing Birmingham’s cultural history through their work.