Fourteen Stops #1

This work is concerned with seeing. Seeing what is actually there – not what we chose to focus on. They are uncomposed ‘snaps’ taken at each of the bus stops along the way, when riding the bus from Milbank to Paddington.

Deliberately using accident and chance, the photographs are captures of whatever happened to present in front of the camera at the point when the bus stopped. Taking its working process from the film by Chantal Akerman News From Home (1976), it gives an unedited account of the street life along that route.

Chance enables it to capture the true, vibrant, disparate nature of London’s streets. Sometimes a street is neat, well maintained and orderly but another street will be chaotic- full of temporary boardings or barriers. Some present beautiful elegant scenes, others dingy utilitarian spaces. Busy jostling places contrast with deserted spaces.

Using chance in this way is an exploration of perception. The random snap of the lens and the resulting photographic image make you see London in a different way – an unfiltered way. When looking at the world around us we select what we actually pay attention and look at. I would usually be drawn to look at people, interesting landmarks, and things of beauty. But using the random snap I have captured scenes that I would have otherwise ignored – my eyes would have flashed over without registering. This work allows the viewer that same experience of being unfiltered and so seeing the world differently.