Two hundred years ago this month John Keats wrote Ode on a Grecian Urn. The final lines are familiar to many, even if they don’t know the author. They run:

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,”- that is all

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

These words pop into my head whenever I look upon Bulgarian photographer Rossena Petcova’s work. I met Rossena when she responded to my call for volunteers to help at 2016’s Newcastle Photography Festival. I was impressed by her photos and by her professionalism. She took photos of my family and I and made us feel at ease. She captured the essence of our relationships with her camera.

Rossena and I  kept in touch when she returned to Sofia in December 2016. I encouraged her to exhibit her work in England and as a result her first solo exhibition takes place this July on Tyneside. It’s called Feeling-at-home Places  and is  divided into two parts. The first one includes portraits of people living in the North East England and the second one includes autobiographical self-portraits and landscapes.

I adore Rossena’s photos. I find them magical and moving. I’ve named the photos of her embedded in her surroundings “Selfless Selfies.” What do you think? 

I’ve been running a fundraising campaign to bring Rossena and her work over from Sofia for the exhibition. We’re a trifling £40 away from our modest target. Can you help us reach it? Click here to find out more.