Be one of the new Brixton People

Carole Evans yesterday with one of her new subjects
Carole Evans yesterday with one of her new subjects

If you’re visiting Brixton market today (15 July) look out for a chance to be part of Brixton history.

Photographer Carole Evans, who created the Brixton People collection in 2010, is at work again.

This time, she is in a pop-up studio, in the rear doorway of the Photofusion Studio, next to the Yum D restaurant (14-D, Market Row, Atlantic Road). It’s open today from 11am until 5pm.

“At the end of January 2010, I was awarded the opportunity to create a pop-up studio in the heart of Brixton market,” says Carole.

“For five days, I invited passers-by into my makeshift studio to have their picture taken. Each evening I would print the photographs up the road at Photofusion, and pin them onto the walls of my unit so the sitters could come back and see their portrait, thereby creating an exhibition which evolved over the week.

“The response from the community was overwhelming. In five days I shot over 200 people, many of whom returned to see the exhibition grow and develop.

“Now, Brixton is a very different place. The unit where I set up the studio is a vintage clothes shop surrounded by cafés and restaurants, whereas seven years ago the units were largely empty.

“In 2015, I wanted to revisit the market to set up a pop-up studio five years on and document the changing demographic.

“This was not possible as there were no free units at the time – a testament to the growing success of the market and its evolution as a destination hub for foodies and shoppers.

“But now, seven years later, I’ve been given the opportunity to meet this ambition, in conjunction with the Made in Brixton exhibition at Photofusion, which contains some of the 2010 edition of Brixton People.

Carole is a senior lecturer in contextual studies at Ravensbourne, and lectures on the BA Hons. photography course at University of the Creative Arts Farnham.

Her Brixton portraits will posted on a dedicated website: www.brixtonpeople.tumblr.com.

1 COMMENT

Comments are closed.