// H E L L O S T E P H E N //
“Stephen Gill (1971), is one of the most interesting emerging photographers of the British scene. Photojournalist, visual poet, anthropologist, sociologist, alchemist, his series hybrid conceptual and documentary photos through obsessive explorations of different themes.”
The series “Talking to the Ants” presents a collection of images composed as doubles but within a single shot. By arranging objects inside the camera or one the lens, traces of coloured film, small bugs and other miscellaneous are left on the final film.
“Stephen Gill’s body of work is an enigmatic, multilayered archive of photographs”
Producing a range of project pieces, the self taught photography tends to shoot in and around London. Subverting expectations of areas with traditionally negative connotations, Gill’s work highlights colour and hidden experiences within the city. His photographs shift attention to the forgotten parts of the city, showing the neglected and the left behind. Labeled as an adventurer of the urban, he is an explorer both literally and in terms of his photographic experimentation. He opens a truly unique perspective of the world to a growing audience looking in on ordinary urban life.
“In addition to the idiosyncratic choice of subject matter, Gill experiments widely with film development and photographic processes. He has buried photographs in the ground, only to re-photograph them once again; he has dowsed film in energy drinks; he has immersed prints in water. In the more recent series, such as Talking to Ants, Gill began dropping objects collected from his surroundings directly into the camera before loading the film. This way, he is getting that much closer to depicting his subject matter and experience of a place in the final work. The outcome is unpredictable. The resulting images are messy and blurry, but they are also beautiful and deeply evocative. It is satisfying to see photographic work that is not crisply digital and perfectly executed. Instead, Gill’s images retain the tactility and randomness of the real world.”
The above section is taken from an article exploring Gill’s photographic techniques and in particular his more extreme methods of experimentation such as burying photos and spilling acidic drinks on film. What this shows is the willingness to take risks and play with the chance of loosing. There are always risks working with film but the collection below shows some of the outcomes available with patience and a lot of careful preparation. The coloured sections on the images particular appeal to me aesthetically and appear almost scientific in their composition. When first looking at this project with a friend, we debated the idea of images being burnt, spilt on or ever microscope images being placed over the top. Microscope slides with small compositions on were also an option we discusses but attaching items to the physical camera – even if it is a plastic ‘toy’ camera in this case – was not something which even occurred to us. There is something about these abstract images that inspires a personal experimentation in a similar style. What could be done to enhance and encourage positive perceptions of neglected areas locally? Could this be done with people and portraiture?
