based in London, UK
Commissioned by BMTRA 2009
AOP Judges Choice Award 2005
I stood with my camera and a portable strobe unit on the ramp where surfers were coming out of the ocean at the end of their day. As each surfer came out of the water I asked if I could make a photograph of them. An image from this series was selected for the AOP Open 2005 Judges Choice Award.
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Camargue, France
Every year thousands of Gypsies from around the world make a pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in France for an annual ceremony where they venerate their patron saint Sarah. I went to make portraits of as many Gypsies as I could. I set up a small portrait studio in the Place de l’Eglise and in exchange for their time and image, I gave away polaroids to any Gypsy who asked to have his or her image made. I thought this giving was of the utmost importance to the spirit of this project. By that, they would be given something back immediately. There was no easier nor more beautiful way to do this than with Polaroid.
I had photographed for about three hours and was finishing up when an older gypsy man came up to me to thank me for the gesture and for making the day special. However, he chided ‘Next time you should charge at least 5 Euros an image.”
made in 2006 as the neighbourhood was rapidly gentrifying.
E8 4PH is a series of colour and black and white photographic portraits documenting Broadway Market’s community in 2006. The portraits were made on the street with available daylight and are of residents, visitors, trades people and other community members.
The images were exhibited locally at Seven Seven gallery (which is now an antiques store and book shop). People who had their portraits exhibited were invited to write a paragraph about their relationship with Broadway Market. The text was displayed along side their corresponding portrait. Local businesses were used to print and frame the photographs.
I created a self-portrait projection system installed in the basement of the gallery which served to document the visitors to the gallery and integrate their image into the exhibition, thus making them ‘part of the community’. The exhibition aimed to celebrate the diversity and character of the market through the sharing of residents’ stories, as everyone who came here felt the unique and charming spirit of Broadway Market that we are so lucky at present to be a part of.
You can view the entire project here at http://e84ph.gabriellemotola.com
Or visit it in person in the Off Broadway Bar downstairs 63-65 Broadway Market London, E8 4PH.
