Russell Newell shares a collection of photographs taken between the ages of 12 and 20, which have remained unseen for 40 years. Newell, born in Peckham in 1965, describes his upbringing in disrepairing estates. He developed a passion for photography through self-education and a family project. His work goes beyond observation as it captures and interprets his identity and community dynamics. His photographic approach emphasizes composition while remaining open to unexpected events and interactions in his surroundings. Newell’s collaboration with Autograph marks the public debut of this significant body of work.
Newell's work from this era isn't just an observation of his surroundings, it's a radical act of understanding his identity and the character of his community.' says Mark Sealy, executive director of Autograph ABP.
I returned permanently to London with my mother in 1976. Our first Peckham home was on the prewar Sumner estate. The estate was in a state of disrepair and the flats lacked central heating.
I have been a book-lover since childhood, so when I got my camera I went to the library and found books about photography. In my early to mid-teens I spent a lot of time studying the lives and work of great photographers such as W Eugene Smith, Robert Frank and Ernest Cole.
I like to carefully compose a frame with the expectation that something unexpected will occur. Whether that's the presence of a person, a change in the light, the weather, or some other event.
Collection
[
|
...
]