Star
© Seba Kurtis, courtesy of Vauxhall Motors
Today marks the opening of a new exhibition showcasing the insightful and realist photography of Seba Kurtis. The new body of portraits explores the diversity of the British population in a stunning exposure of life and individuality within our ever-changing cultural landscape.
Photographer Seba Kurtis first arrived in Europe as an illegal immigrant from Argentina. He followed the dream of a perfect life that attracts many to first world countries, considering Europe as a Promised Land. In this stunning series of portraits commissioned by Vauxhall, Kurtis explores his pre-conceptions of British people whilst simultaneously re-inventing what it means to be British in today’s multicultural society. Fascinated by stereotypical characters like the English Rose and the British Gentleman, Kurtis wanted to analyse how their modern re-incarnation differs from the original, drawing a parallel between the idealised classic British life imagined as an immigrant, and the everyday reality. In this cathartic work he travelled to London, Manchester, Blackpool, Cheshire, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bradford, Rhyl and Brighton, where he spent days shooting on a large format camera, documenting hundreds of people. In his personal re-interpretation of classic British characters, Kurtis captures an insightful snapshot of the UK today whilst getting to know the people who are now part of the country’s population. People like Agata, born in the UK from Polish parents, who spent her childhood in Britain. She moved back to Poland as a teenager, but has now returned to London as a young woman. Agata belongs to two countries and
The Promised Land, commissioned by the Vauxhall Collective, is the latest in a long line of candid photographs by Seba Kurtis. He first arrived in Europe as an illegal immigrant from Argentina, following the dream of many to live out a perfect life in a ‘first world’ country. He had studied journalism and was a political activist, but with political difficulties arising in Argentina he left and spent over five years in Spain.
In this collection Kurtis explores his pre-conceptions of British people, whilst questioning and re-inventing what it means to be British in today’s multicultural society. He wanted to analyse how the modern reincarnations of stereotypes like the ‘English Rose’ and the ‘British Gentleman’ differ from the originals, drawing parallels between idealised life in Britain as imagined by an immigrant, and the everyday reality.
To complete this nationwide survey of society Kurtis travelled up and down the country, from London to Liverpool, Blackpool to Brighton, Cheshire to Rhyl, spending days with a large format camera documenting hundreds of people. In his reinterpretation of these classic characters of British life, he has captured an insightful snapshot of the UK today, whilst getting to know some current tenants of our country’s population on a personal level.
These include ‘Star’ (top of this page), real name Sata. An Iranian Kurd, he was only 14 when he escaped Iran by swimming to Turkey. It took him two years to get to the UK, spending this time homeless throughout different European countries. Four years ago, after six attempts, he managed to get into the UK hidden in a lorry. He will not see his family again, and even if he does return to Iran he could face hanging. He has no passport, but has been granted permission to stay in the UK. He works in a kebab shop in Cheshire.
Gemma
© Seba Kurtis, courtesy of Vauxhall Motors
The three other examples of those living in ‘The Promised Land’ are Gemma (above) – born and bred in the UK, yet made a decision to become a traveller and makes a living performing with her two horses in circus-like events, her bright pink costume jarring with her dilapidated surroundings; Agata (bottom), who was born in the UK to Polish parents, spent her childhood in Britain, moved to Poland as a teenager, and returned to London as a young woman – an identity in crisis, yet with a determination to succeed; and Jordie (below), from Manchester – raised in foster care but is now a social worker. These are case studies in the fragmentation of modern society, a shattered mess of roots begging to be remembered and futures yearning to happen.
Jordie
© Seba Kurtis, courtesy of Vauxhall Motors
This is the UK: multicultural, illegal, aspirational, and deeply human. Kurtis’s style is perfectly suited to his subjects; one of his trademarks is to purposely ruin films whilst undeveloped, exposing them to sunlight for a few seconds. They take on imperfections and light, a fabulous metaphor which symbolises hopes and dreams, along with the sometimes damaging aspect of reality.
The Promised Land exhibition is taking place at The Tricycle Theatre, and Seba Kurtis is a member of Vauxhall Collective, an initiative sponsored by the car company. In fact, the Vauxhall Collective is one of the most ambitious commercially-funded creative support schemes. Members are supported financially to carry out projects, raising their profile in their chosen industry and in the media, and giving them the resources to fulfill their creative potential. Vauxhall is a keen supporter of creativity, with ongoing commitment to championing style and design in the UK through other initiatives such as the Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair 2009 and the Vauxhall Fashion Scout.
Seba Kurtis’s experiences with immigration and his past in political activism mean that he understands his subjects more than most. He explores the dynamics behind the irregularity in shifts of people from one culture to another, and its subsequent impact on society and the individual. The Promised Land is sure to deliver a stunning dose of revealing photography, dispelling myths of aristocratic botanical gardens, bobbies on the beat, cockney rapscallions, and exposing the living, breathing flesh of today’s real Britain.
Full details below this photograph.
Agata
© Seba Kurtis, courtesy of Vauxhall Motors
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The Promised Land
@ The Tricycle Theatre
269 Kilburn High Road | London NW6 7JR
Opening times:
8th February to March 5th 2010
Monday to Friday, 10am – 10pm | Sunday, 3pm – 9pm
More information about Seba Kurtis and previous collections of his wonderful photography is available on his website: www.sebakurtis.com
Vauxhall Collective is an initiative sponsoring and furthering creative talent
For more information visit www.vauxhallcollective.co.uk
