Hackney Studios is a series of 150 portraits of creatives in their spaces. Each subject was invited to select the next, taking me on a surreal adventure across the borough.
The threads of loyalty and inspiration connecting people to one another was heart-warming; fine artists would nominate their assistants, students their tutors and designers would nominate performers. The usual art world hierarchies didn’t apply here, the selections had a humanity and a personal history giving the series a soul. The subjects move back and forth between the unknown and the more established, curating from within. They were free to drive the project in whatever direction they felt important. Occasionally people recommended someone because they particularly admired their work, but far more often it was out of respect for their whole ethos. It became clear that what creative people value in others first and foremost, is their integrity.
Even when portraying others it seems the search is motivated for the need to understand yourself. Hackney Studios has allowed me to explore my community, and find my creative sense of belonging.
