FRAGMENTS#0 Welcome to Fragments
A new fortnightly newsletter about a life with photography, by Georgina Cook, via a teenage photo-album (i) and Tripleprint (ii).
Dear Reader
Inspired by a project in progress of the same name, this letter will explore an almost life-long journey with my favourite visual medium through the fragments of images, zines, albums and books that make-up my archive, new and old. Each fragment will be assigned a Roman numeral.
They will arrive in your inbox every other Wednesday.
There may or may not be bonus letters & photography sent here and there. There will be occasional links to music and other art or artists relevant to each fragment.
Fragments will try to remedy the fact that only a fraction of the millions of photographs I’ve created over the years are ever seen.
It will be more intimate than posts on social media platforms.
It will promote communication and consumption with intention.
Hopefully it will make you smile sometimes. :)
Fragments will begin properly next week, but for now here’s a little bit about me and my relationship with photography.
A life with photography: obsession
The above photo was taken at a time of abject obsession with photography. I’m 15 or thereabouts and wearing my school uniform with a blue cable-knit jumper over the top. I’m at home in South Norwood, in the front room. The photograph was taken on a silver compact-zoom camera and developed by Tripleprint, a service that gave you three prints in one, all from a 35mm film. Often the smaller prints would be cut off and given to friends, or would make their way into photo-collages. For every film sent to Tripleprint for processing, a replacement film was sent back. All for approx £2.50 per film. Tripleprint is where I spent most of the £20 note that I earnt at the local dry-cleaners each week. For most of my teens, Tripleprint was the dealer that kept me hooked.
This addiction or obsession - to recording my life and surroundings has ebbed and flowed since then. I’ve had years of bringing a camera absolutely everywhere I go, and years where the thought of carrying one around has made me wince. Like every long-term or life-long relationship, things change, evolve and morph. There have been times of growth and times of inertia. Times of passion and times of neglect. Love, joy, sadness and frustration.
It’s taken me to streets, dance-floors and fields around the world, to new friends, new ideas, new perspectives. It has given me a tool with which to process and explore thoughts, feelings and things that are far too big for me to comprehend with my mind alone - moving to or away from a home for example, community, the housing crisis, love, sexuality, heritage, politics.
And it has produced millions of images - analogue, digital, collaged, painted on, screwed up, cut-up, sewn, abandoned, rolled-up, organised into photo-albums, sent, signed, framed, forgotten about, copied, published, deleted, corrupted, exhibited, used, abused, contextualised, conceptualised, written about, written on, talked about, loved and laughed at.
Currently, it’s extremely healthy and in a period of growth. In January 2022, I published my first ever book, which some of you not only know about, but supported. I’m about to start year two of a masters at London College of Communication in which I’m exploring new subjects and processes. As ever, I continue to welcome collaboration with artists, editors, record labels, promoters, creative directors and publishers.
Thank you to everyone that’s helped get me this far. I hope you enjoy Fragments!
Georgina
Tip jar
At any point if you enjoy my words and photos, feel free to buy me a coffee. I drink at least one cup a day.
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About
Website: www.georginacook.net
Insta: @georginaccook
Georgina Cook (b. 1981) is a photographer and artist with a focus on relationship to place. While known for her documentation and collaboration with London’s music scenes, communities and youth cultures, Georgina’s work is increasingly centred around the folklore, customs, landscapes and mythology that inform the places she finds herself in and how they relate to her own identity.
Georgina is co-director of Picnic, Hastings’ first photo-book library and community photography space.