Voices of Coal

Discover an immersive film installation rooted in memory and renewal by Debbie Harman.

Inspired by Kellingley Colliery, the UK’s last deep coal mine, it explores grief, legacy, and transformation in a post-coal world through film, sound, and virtual reality.

About the Artist, Debbie Harman: Growing up near Kellingley Colliery, its presence shaped my world; woven into the lives of family, friends, and the land itself. Even as a child, I sensed its rhythm. Later, I learned it was sinking, reclaimed by the earth. Its demolition felt symbolic: an ending, a return. Voices of Coal began with that image of sinking into geological time and human memory. The film weaves my personal story: my father and brother, both in the energy industry, connected through skill and legacy. When my brother passed away in 2022, grief led me to reflect on presence, absence, and how memory lives on, not just in stories, but in the body. Movement became a way to honour him. Through motion, grief becomes visible, preserving presence in absence. Find out more about Debbie Harman here.

Image: Unreal Engine, by Tatiana Collet-Apraxine. Still from the film Voices of Coal