Photographic Portraits from a past that never was

At the bookshop from March 26th until April 6th or even a little longer.

A few words from the artist>

In the spring of 2003 I began what was to become an all consuming project: a photographic odyssey with Another Country and its habitués as the central focus.

Since my early days at University I have wanted to do something similar to Ed Van Der Elsken’s Love on The Left Bank, a photographic story set in Paris in the autumn of 1952. In the early spring of 2003 I met Faye in the bookshop and after a short time we decided to collaborate on a fictional photographic story.* The principal character would be modelled on Laurence Durrell’s Justine from his Alexandria Quartet. Faye would play this role. In my arrogance I thought I could create complex characters as well as a multi-level story line principally using photographs. If there had to be words I wanted very few.

The concept was to make a book that could be read and savoured for its complexity rather than the aesthetic of black and white images. One conundrum, whether or not I could make the images appear so natural it would seem the photographs were of real characters participating in real events, was the first of many problems I had to overcome. It needed to look real if the story was going to operate on more than one level. To fulfil this ambition I rely heavily on the notion of the photograph as a document with resonances of truth. The enduring myth of analogue photography, that it had to have been in order to be photographed, is integral to the plot. The photographs in this exhibit are of characters that play roles in the story. Some of the images were shot in 2003 and others within the last six weeks. They are the introduction to the book.

Portraits are usually character studies: the image should tell us something about the person we are looking at. But this is a work of fiction, so I am under no obligation to accurately render my impressions of these people as real people, though that doesn’t mean I haven’t done so. It would be remiss of me not to thank all who have so patiently and uncomplainingly given me their time and allowed me unfettered access to their personal space as I chased my obsession. So I will take this opportunity to say thanks very very much to all who those participated.

In the final analysis the success of this project will be in the editing decisions, one of which is evident here. All the images in this exhibit had to be medium format. I wanted them square and I wanted the people to be alone. This meant some very good images of other players, shot either as pairs or with 35mm, have been omitted. This project is far from over and I sometimes wonder if it ever will be, but the journey has been engaging and the generosity of people astounding. Its a rich part of my life and something I am very glad I began.

Graham Hains