honorable mention
Nikee Brooklyn united kingdom
title
'You Were Never Here!'
Whilst studying I have also been able to work in the sector. Firstly I worked for a casting agency, ESLR, taking headshots for actors, actresses and entertainers. In-between I worked privately for clients including a local film company who wanted me to take photography stills for the promotion.
I am in my fifth year of studies, (I am currently studying for my HND, Higher National Diploma) and I have produced an on-going project; ‘You were Never Here’. It is project based upon recycled passports from countries that no longer exist. The idea is built around the passport photo and to explore the impact of a lack of national identity. This in turn interrogates whether a passport detects the full truthfulness of the subject in question.
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entry description
A passport was the first thing that came into my mind when starting this project, as I perceive it to be a document used to prove ones national identity. But does a passport reveal the true identity of its owner? Researching the collapse of countries after the end of the cold war I started questioning the identity of many people that their country dissolved. What did they become? How were they affected as a whole? Did they feel they were no longer part of the society? What barriers did they have to deal with?I also wanted to explore the idea of the passport’s photo and its connection with the identity of its owner and started questioned the passport’s photograph representing the truthfulness of its subject. Today’s guidelines for a passport photo in England specify that no tinted glasses, no headscarves, no uniforms are to be worn and that the image must show the person from top of the head to the bottom of the chin. But has that been the case in the past? I purchased a number of expired/invalid passports from countries that no longer existed and photographed them, exploring a number of ideas. My aim was to challenge the viewer to consider identifying with somebody who no longer has a national identity and to reflect on their own. Having produced a number of photographs for this project, I now feel that I have succeeded presenting my idea in each photo of this series. Using the passports as my focus had immediately opened up the contemporary subject of National Identity. It is now up to the viewer to read deeper and understand the full intention behind this series.about the photographer
I am a London based conceptual photographer. After many years of bringing up three children and working as a valet, I decided five years ago that is was now my time to study and practice photography. Just before I started my studies I had my work exhibited with the London independent photographers at the Strand Gallery in 2013. My work was also exhibited the following year at the Embassy Tea Gallery.Whilst studying I have also been able to work in the sector. Firstly I worked for a casting agency, ESLR, taking headshots for actors, actresses and entertainers. In-between I worked privately for clients including a local film company who wanted me to take photography stills for the promotion.
I am in my fifth year of studies, (I am currently studying for my HND, Higher National Diploma) and I have produced an on-going project; ‘You were Never Here’. It is project based upon recycled passports from countries that no longer exist. The idea is built around the passport photo and to explore the impact of a lack of national identity. This in turn interrogates whether a passport detects the full truthfulness of the subject in question.
back to gallery