“Living room offers lushly coloured glimpses of the communal spirit, fired by the joys, mishaps and adventures of family life” Blurb of book.
The project ‘Living Room’ consisted of four years spent with working class families in Nottingham documenting their Saturday movements in their homes. The images are classically snapshot, reminiscent of Richard Billingham’s ‘Rays a Laugh’ (set in the same decade and economy). The images depict the family doing the most ordinary and banal tasks in their houses, cleaning, eating, cooking, playing, the things that we all partake in without a second thought yet Waplington allows us to find a pleasure in these shots. There is an element of privacy still attained in the images, their intimacy has been preserved because of Waplington’s dedication towards his subjects, his close relationship meaning that him and his camera are altogether forgotten by them.
As oppose to trying to collect specific exciting moments, as most photographers do, he is “not about captured moments, they are more experiential” and feel more true, which I feel is an integral part of the documentary practice. He also included a manuscript alongside the images, documenting their thoughts and feelings about the work. This adds to the documentary aspect and element of collaborative practice which I find so relevant in my current project and practice. There is an honesty in the words which gives viewers more of a connection and insight into the families photographed.
“We’re going all over the world, all of us!”
Bryony's Blog 