Chris Porsz is a street photographer who, during the late ’90s began his long term project, “Reunions”. He captured a series of images showing the culture and people of Britain during this time. his images included a range of individuals in different professions, groups of children of varying ages, couples, and different identities that were common at the time (from punk to goth). Porsz then brought this project to a conclusion, by, 30 years later, tracking down the subjects of his original photographs, and having them reenact the original images:
Porsz’s photography shows the contrast between the original image and the modern takes, as the differences between the (often young) original subjects and their now maturer selves, along with the changes to the environment over the years, helps to display the journey of the individuals through their lives, through the use of just 2 images. Porsz work is an example of the drastic change that can occur within the space of 3 decades, but his ability to recreate the images using the same subjects in the same positions helps to give a sense of continuity, showing that the subjects memories of the original image (and who they were at the time) is still with them, and remains a part of their identity regardless of the time passing.
Chris’ work has inspired me in creating my first photo-shoot, which will be centred around recreating archival images using the same subjects in the same positions. This links to the Journeys & Pathways theme of the project, as it will allow for the viewer to see the differences and similarities between the subjects and how they have changed over the period of time between the original image and now, and will help to draw together the 2 different periods of time, creating a loop where the subject is shown to be the same individual that they were when the original image was taken, while still displaying changes and differences that make them the person they are today. The images will show the journey of the individual through their life, from the person they were, to the person they now are.