Both Sides of the Rose, 2021

I’m excited to begin sharing my latest body of work, ‘Both Sides of the Rose’, which will be exhibited at Wrest Park, as part of the Englands New Lenses project with Photoworks in partnership with English Heritage’s Shout Out Loud programme. Read more about the project here: https://photoworks.org.uk/megan-mechelle-dalton/ As a young person from Preston, Lancashire I’ve always been interested in my regional identity. As the country has become increasingly divided, I’ve found comfort in understanding the North of England’s heritage and its impact on the course of Britain’s history. ‘Both Sides of the Rose’ explores the often-untold narrative of the War of the Roses, giving visibility to the women of the 15th century who were fighting the invisible fight; the fight of loneliness, power, and wealth disparity, whilst still having to support the armies travelling through their towns. The conflict seen throughout England during the War of the Roses stemmed from socio-economic breakdowns and a clear lack of leadership. These causes aren’t far from the issues reverberating through our current society; people are becoming more politically polarised while the struggle for democracy and non-partisan leadership globally increasing. Set at Middleham Castle, an integral site to the developments in the War of the Roses, this project looks to shed light on the North of England’s heritage in a way that is celebrated and reflects the diversity of our northern communities. For England’s New Lenses, funded by @englishheritage and @photoworks_uk through support from the @heritagefunduk @aceagrams @eh_shoutoutloud Videographer | @piotrsell Stylist | @freyamarechal MUA | @nyashabrodersenmua Prop Designer | @nathan.teague Models | @serena.ulcena @nawaalbaber @ellietylr @lydcannizzaro @leahanais_ @zara.lee