Forget Me Not Curated by Freeny Yianni and Richard Scarry

Key Takeaways

• Exhibition explores memory, displacement through diverse photography
• Artists employ archival and intimate methods to question remembrance
• Themes connect historical trauma with personal confession and gender transition
• Curators Yianni and Scarry frame attention as ethical practice
• Show runs March 7–April 11, 2026 at CLOSE Gallery

Summary

Forget Me Not, curated by Freeny Yianni and Richard Scarry, opens at CLOSE Gallery in Somerset from March 7 to April 11, 2026. The exhibition brings together photographs by Andrew Cross, Anna Mossman, Philip Sinden, Mariano Vivanco and Denise Webber, each probing memory, displacement and responsibility. Works range from archival landscapes of Somaliland to intimate candlelit confessions and gender‑neutral studio portraits, underscoring photography as an act of attentive care. The show positions the modest blue flower as a symbol urging viewers not to overlook fragile histories.

Pulse Analysis

The resurgence of memory‑focused photography in 2026 reflects a cultural reckoning with rapid displacement and digital overload. Exhibitions like Forget Me Not tap into a collective yearning for tangible anchors, using the medium’s archival roots to counteract the ephemerality of social media feeds. By invoking the forget‑me‑not flower, the show signals both remembrance and warning, positioning visual art as a repository for stories that risk fading. Curators Freeny Yianni and Richard Scarry leverage this symbolism to create a narrative space where contemplation outweighs spectacle.

Each contributing artist brings a distinct investigative lens. Andrew Cross revisits the contested history of Somaliland’s Z‑Force airfield, juxtaposing contemporary aerial shots with early‑20th‑century maps to expose lingering colonial scars. Anna Mossman’s candle‑lit long exposures capture the fragility of confession, while Denise Webber’s Threshold series records women’s ritual crossings in Singapore, highlighting gendered resilience. Philip Sinden strips back fashion glamour to reveal raw, unadorned portraiture, and Mariano Vivanco redirects his celebrity expertise toward still‑life flowers, slowing the viewer’s gaze. Together, the works interrogate what societies choose to remember or erase.

From a market perspective, Forget Me Not underscores the growing demand for socially conscious art that blends documentary rigor with aesthetic nuance. Galleries and collectors are increasingly valuing projects that engage with historical accountability and personal narrative, a trend that can boost an artist’s institutional credibility and resale potential. The exhibition’s regional setting in Somerset also illustrates how peripheral venues can attract international attention, diversifying the cultural geography of the UK art scene. For audiences, the show offers a measured yet powerful reminder: attentive looking is itself an act of responsibility in an age of constant distraction.