Wilson's Republic Conference: Chris Nunn

Chris Nunn delivered my favourite talk of the day, and now I am fascinated with his work and the photos that he takes. The surrounding idea roots fit perfect in my opinion, and his work was profoundly inspiring. 

Christopher Nunn is a British photographer working on personal projects and commissions throughout the UK and Europe. He is currently working on long-term documentary projects in Ukraine, where he has worked over multiple trips since 2013. Recent clients include The Financial Times Weekend Magazine, The Telegraph Magazine, i-D, De Correspondent, The Asahi Shimbun Globe, The Wire, Le Monde, The New Yorker, and Weapons of Reason. In 2015 he was nominated for the prestigious Prix Pictet award and in 2016 was selected as one of PDN’s 30 new and Emerging Photographers. Having a huge interest in photography and subscribing to many of the magazines named above, I have probably subconsciously flicked past his work without actually realising it is him. 

We, first of all, was introduced to the idea surrounding roots. The talk was based on his years spent in Ukraine trying to capture the heritage of his Grandma, who was taken from Ukraine by Germans in the war. His grandma was his last connection to the country so visiting and seeing Ukraine through his camera was a full-circle plan. Initially putting himself in the conflict zones, Chris desperately wanted to see the real Ukraine. 

Starting to feel like a journalist reporter, taking pictures of these conflict zones, Chris moved around the country trying to find different influences throughout. Palm Trees began to become a running theme within his work; very ridiculous and bizarre but exciting that it runs throughout. Believing that he was becoming sucked into the "Media Machine," he started to resent the media in the sense that they have a way of manipulating the view of war and how the rest of the world sees Ukraine. This then inspired Chris to go against this idea and repel against the photo-journalist norm. 

Chris now focused on more portraits and this theme of roots that he started with. The connections through his work were much more subtle now and the deeper meaning and thought behind his photography was incredibly exciting to me, and I was utterly fascinated by the way in which he explained the concept behind each photo and how it held a little part of Chris' roots. 

Getting a glimpse into people's lives and routine, he was now working in the opposite way of the media.  Exposing grim topics with beautiful meanings, such as an abandoned, unmarked graveyard, Chris was soon documenting that Ukraine is not all war and destruction. I also thought this description was fascinating; although your roots may not be idyllic, you can always find the beauty in them. This also linked to the talk by Lesley Gulliver on the Business of Design. 

He also documented the cycle of seasons; 

Summer: Jungle of unmaintained green nature

Winter: Crazy Cold Weather. 

Documenting water and kissing was also a theme throughout his work. Taking images for his benefit worked well in this case because the pictures were profoundly more natural and still captured them of roots and war without the journalistic approach. To defy this approach, Chris focused on Soldiers Swimming, Chess playing Cadets, and Posing Children. The posing children pictures were fascinating to me; these very young people, surrounded by war and havoc, were still trying to find the fun in posing like a supermodel. The final pictures looked like something you would see from an ID Magazine.

Chris also went into a derelict house and found old ID photos from Soldier in the war. These badly take identity pictures inspired Chris to delve into portraiture and look at the faces behind this exciting and unique place. This is evident in the Nurse Picture, which was taken when Chris was hurt in an explosion and had to spend time in the hospital. The image looks at the human nature of people and the beauty of a person. The nurse's name in English meant Hope, by coincidence, which only adds more meaning to this person who is merely doing her job. This summarised the idea of Roots and the idea of always recognising where you come from and how important your heritage is to you. 

I have included my favourite pictures from his portfolio.