A POWERFUL exhibition of images by an influential photographer has been welcomed to Poole after it was postponed due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

The Alive: In The Face of Death exhibition by photographer Rankin can finally be seen at the Lighthouse from September 15 to November 21.

Presented in collaboration with Forest Holme Hospice Charity, the exhibition sets out to explore and challenge our perceptions of death, and features a series of monochrome ‘life mask’ portraits by Rankin of casts made from the faces of celebrities such as Robert De Niro, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joanna Lumley.

Other images include Dr Simon Pennell, the Poole-based specialist palliative care doctor who worked with the photographer on the original exhibition in Liverpool’s Walker Gallery in 2013.

The project itself was inspired by the death of Rankin’s parents – his mother Anne from lung cancer and father Roy from a heart attack – within three weeks of each other in 2005.

Rankin said: "The whole process of them dying really confused me. I didn’t know why I was so ill-prepared for what happened. That was the spark that started the whole project off."

Rather than focusing on death itself, the exhibition is a celebration of life and diversity through work that explores the vitality and importance of living.

As well as the images on show, visitors will be able to view the book of the original exhibition and leave their own contributions on the gallery wall in words and pictures.

Lighthouse Chief Executive, Elspeth McBain said: "Lighthouse is exceptionally pleased to be working with Forest Holme Hospice to show work by one of the world’s most renowned photographers. Rankin has tackled a challenging subject with compassion and his customary creativity to present a powerful and moving exhibition that will start conversations and give us all something to reflect on."