Pursuance

Somehow, I’m always on the periphery; as an outsider, I wondered what it must be like to be an insider? There was no obvious answer, just more questions. Or, what if ultimately, nobody truly belongs here? Maybe this is the only certain truth?

Pursuance is a photography project shot within the City of London. The photograph that served as a catalyst for the entire project, was of a chef on his lunch break. As the picture was framed the arm of a gesticulating security guard entered the shot. Unbeknown to me, I was standing on private property. The two subjects, the chef and the security guard both served the city. This is what led me to questions of belonging.

My approach as a photographer has always been one of discovery. I look for intrigue within the present moment, finding visual narratives to substantiate the now. What mattered most in the project, was to acknowledge impactful moments and to photograph them. I didn’t want any formal considerations of subject matter, I much preferred for the project to find its own aesthetic and direction. Later digesting and reflecting on the project in print.

The City of London is the home of London’s financial district, AKA the Square Mile. Most people don’t realize it is a smaller city within London itself, with its own mayor, council and police force, it has a history dating back to the Romans. It’s the birth place of the empire and banker to its history.  Born to parents of the Windrush generation, my mother and father arrived here as strangers, both, subjects of the Commonwealth. Maybe to find the answers to my questions all my roads lead here?