One Hundred Years tells the story of Hackney by way of the centuries
Since 2013, indie publisher Hoxton Mini Press has been celebrating community stories through its East London Photo Stories book series.
The latest release in the series was kindly provided by portrait photographer and Hackney resident Jenny Lewis, who has lived in the area for 25 years. The past three years have been spent documenting the people who make up their local community.
Above: Hattie Stewart; Above: hyacinth
The original idea behind the book, titled One Hundred Years, was to capture a century of Hackney life in the form of portraits of locals from newborns to centenarians.
"After working on two very specific projects – One Day Young, which records the day a woman was born, and Hackney Studios, a number of creatives in their space – I was really eager to explore other lives, other experiences than my own," tells Lewis CR.
Rosy and Herb
“I expanded the network and decided to take 100 portraits for ages one to 100 and see where that took me. I knew I would have 100 inspiring conversations, that was enough to move me in a new direction. "
Lewis wanted to create an accurate portrait of her neighbors that reflected the many nationalities, ages and perspectives that make up the diverse London borough. She started with a newborn and worked her way up to age 100 over the course of the three-year project.
Wilfrid Wood
“Continuous shots allow for a certain ease with your equipment and taking a portrait. It becomes second nature so to be honest you think less and less about it and it all becomes very natural. The more relaxed you are, the more intimacy you can get with your topic, ”says Lewis.
“I found myself in front of all sorts of people sharing intimate thoughts and experiences that they had had. It was a privilege to take photos like this, without a set agenda, without knowing what the image or the text would look like. The generosity of strangers to share their lives and stories always leaves an energy that is unique. "
Vivi
In addition to the photos, the accompanying texts give an insight into the personalities behind the portraits. These range from three-year-old Vivi, who says she likes to be loud every day, to 100-year-old Renée, who was married to a gangster in her twenties.
With Hackney being the creative hub, CR readers will no doubt recognize some familiar faces, including artist and sculptor Wilfrid Wood, illustrator Hattie Stewart, and graphic designer Algy Batten.
Sherlock
What Lewis hopes people will get out of the book? "I think I wasn't really trying to capture anything, just let the people be and see what bubbles come to the surface," she says.
"I hope there are a few of them there, not the mask that people often offer for a portrait. I've always thought the ordinary is pretty extraordinary, so I hope the show encourages people to look at it paying attention to who is around them, giving people time, and appreciating the resilience and richness of human experience. "
Hundred Years: Portraits of a community aged 0 to 100 are published by Hoxton Mini Press. jennylewis.net