camberwell society
"The Source of art is in the life of the people"
Walter Crane
Before moving to the area in 2006, Camberwell meant little more to me than a bus stop on my journey back home to Forrest Hill. It seemed to be the end of the line for the colourful characters to alight and wander off into the night.
After spending the last few years living and working there, I decided to investigate the community through my lens based art practice. Tackling this broad and challenging subject was an opportunity for me to embark upon a socially interactive portrait-based project.
I wanted to develop a relationship with local people who I could consequently call my ‘neighbours’. As a result, I have spent the last few months documenting the people, the places, and uncovering a few local urban myths. I have conversed with and photographed people who have lived here for decades, people who have just arrived as well as those who have moved away. Throughout this project I have come to see Camberwell in a new light, opening my eyes to issues I hadn’t previously considered. The show, like Camberwell itself, is a melting pot of stories, contradictions, elitism, social division, party culture, creativity, ideas and points of view both positive and negative.
Camberwell Society is a leap from my previous photographic practice of abstracting the visual experience of London. This new project attempts a more subjective documentary approach to suit each situation and character. Images are captured in a variety of formats using a digital SLR or a mobile phone. Text and drawings are gathered from conversations he has shared and overheard, to further inform my own experience of what it means to live in this part of South London.
June 2009
Walter Crane
Before moving to the area in 2006, Camberwell meant little more to me than a bus stop on my journey back home to Forrest Hill. It seemed to be the end of the line for the colourful characters to alight and wander off into the night.
After spending the last few years living and working there, I decided to investigate the community through my lens based art practice. Tackling this broad and challenging subject was an opportunity for me to embark upon a socially interactive portrait-based project.
I wanted to develop a relationship with local people who I could consequently call my ‘neighbours’. As a result, I have spent the last few months documenting the people, the places, and uncovering a few local urban myths. I have conversed with and photographed people who have lived here for decades, people who have just arrived as well as those who have moved away. Throughout this project I have come to see Camberwell in a new light, opening my eyes to issues I hadn’t previously considered. The show, like Camberwell itself, is a melting pot of stories, contradictions, elitism, social division, party culture, creativity, ideas and points of view both positive and negative.
Camberwell Society is a leap from my previous photographic practice of abstracting the visual experience of London. This new project attempts a more subjective documentary approach to suit each situation and character. Images are captured in a variety of formats using a digital SLR or a mobile phone. Text and drawings are gathered from conversations he has shared and overheard, to further inform my own experience of what it means to live in this part of South London.
June 2009
