Finsbury
(2011 - Ongoing)
I have never been to Finsbury in my life but once saw a pillar with this text inscribed on it here where I live in Dublin. Unexplainably, I was very attracted to the scene and took one photograph of pillar and text in situ as illustrated below. Looking afterwards at the image, I became generally preoccupied with Finsbury in London, and after some time, Finsbury emerged as a type of obsession – mysterious and appealing, a place that I wanted to know more about visually. On the strength of this preoccupation, a number of questions began to emerge, such as - what ‘does’ Finsbury actually look like? Could a photograph tell me more about this place, or indeed more than one photograph perhaps? Moreover, I began to ponder on the vexing conundrum of, just ‘who’ could show me what Finsbury looks like? Although I could easily go there for myself to observe it, I was pleasantly attracted to the idea of someone else showing it to me in photographs. In short - I wanted to see it through someone else’s eyes.
While it is true that I have been seduced by the pillar with the text ‘Finsbury’, can you assist further now by showing me what it does look like there? If you live in, or intend to visit this area of London, I would like you to take one photograph of Finsbury. As for the photograph you might take, this is entirely your choice. The photograph you do take however will serve to feed my preoccupation with this unknown place. Equally, and, unquestionably, your photograph will also show me what Finsbury looks like. Long-term the series of images will be published together in book format. The book will be entitled, ‘Finsbury’.
If you would like a more detailed account on this project in order to participate, please contact finsburyproject@gmail.com
I have never been to Finsbury in my life but once saw a pillar with this text inscribed on it here where I live in Dublin. Unexplainably, I was very attracted to the scene and took one photograph of pillar and text in situ as illustrated below. Looking afterwards at the image, I became generally preoccupied with Finsbury in London, and after some time, Finsbury emerged as a type of obsession – mysterious and appealing, a place that I wanted to know more about visually. On the strength of this preoccupation, a number of questions began to emerge, such as - what ‘does’ Finsbury actually look like? Could a photograph tell me more about this place, or indeed more than one photograph perhaps? Moreover, I began to ponder on the vexing conundrum of, just ‘who’ could show me what Finsbury looks like? Although I could easily go there for myself to observe it, I was pleasantly attracted to the idea of someone else showing it to me in photographs. In short - I wanted to see it through someone else’s eyes.
While it is true that I have been seduced by the pillar with the text ‘Finsbury’, can you assist further now by showing me what it does look like there? If you live in, or intend to visit this area of London, I would like you to take one photograph of Finsbury. As for the photograph you might take, this is entirely your choice. The photograph you do take however will serve to feed my preoccupation with this unknown place. Equally, and, unquestionably, your photograph will also show me what Finsbury looks like. Long-term the series of images will be published together in book format. The book will be entitled, ‘Finsbury’.
If you would like a more detailed account on this project in order to participate, please contact finsburyproject@gmail.com
