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CARLY BEARD |
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misscarlyb@hotmail.com |
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Carly Beard |
My work is concerned with social issues surrounding homelessness and drug abuse in my home city of Liverpool. I am interested in the how the lower end of society is treated and the harsh realities of life. After photographing on the streets of Liverpool for some time I decided to concentrate on working at hostels around the city. The hostels that I have been working at offer shelter and support to the homeless and to people that require help or simply companionship. When I first started photographing I tried hard not to have preconceived ideas about the people or places but I found it difficult to accept this way of life. |
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On my first visit to one of the hostels a young man spoke to me about his heroin addiction, his violent girlfriend and a suicide attempt. I took hardly any photographs. I spent a lot of my time talking and listening to people, finding that they were very open about their experiences. This way of working has influenced my practice a lot. My images do not directly reflect the situations presented. They are not obvious in their content. By spending time observing and chatting to my subjects my preconceptions quickly disappeared, I was then able to photograph the individual not the stereotype. My work is a document of my time spent in an environment that is not socially accepted, with people who are cast out because of their problems. My images show people living their lives despite the every day struggle they face. |
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