With her surreal yet wonderfully insightful portraits, photographer Polly Borland is back with her latest exhibition ‘Smudge’, a series of images that border on the provocative, disturbing and downright bizarre.
Whether she’s tapping into hidden subcultures or snapping celebrities, Australian photographer Polly Borland has always remained true to her extraordinary vision. Growing up in Melbourne and arriving in the UK in 1989, the Brighton-based photographer combines stylised portraiture with offbeat reportage, and over the last 25 years, has photographed everyone from the Queen and Kylie Minogue to a group of grown up men who like to pretend they’re babies. Borland is renowned for her close relationship and active involvement with her subject, whether she’s dressing them up, photographing them in the nude or concealing their identity altogether. One of her favourite models is close friend and collaborator Nick Cave, who has posed for her latest exhibition ‘Smudge’, launching this week at London’s ‘Other Criteria’ gallery. Using a range of costumes and props, including coloured wigs, joke noses and ping-pong balls, Borland has created a weird yet enthralling universe where definitions of gender, sexuality and beauty are distorted and open to interpretation. Whether you’re amused, appalled, captivated or turned on, you cannot deny that Polly Borland is one of a kind. i-D Online caught up with Borland to talk thrills, skills and life behind the lens.
How did the idea for ‘Smudge’ come about? I first started taking photos in Pittsburgh USA of my son Louie and his friend Wilson in costumes from a hire shop. I soon realised I couldn’t really take the ideas I had far enough as I was photographing children. I was then asked by The Guardian to do a photo of my own interpretation of Father Christmas. I photographed my friend Mark Vessey in Brighton in a Father Christmas costume and as I was photographing him Ispread the beard all over his face so just a red nose was visible. Thereafter the ‘Smudge’ series was born.
Who were the subjects for ‘Smudge?’ Why did you decide to conceal their faces? Mark Vessey, photographer, Sherald Lambden, fashion designer and Nick Cave, writer, singer and musician. Their faces were concealed because it wasn’t about who they were. They are portraits of strange and surreal imaginings.
What do you want people to feel when they look at your pictures? Anything they want to feel!
When did you first decide to do photography? I did Art History in year 11 and 12 at a hippy school in Australia in the 70s and if you did Art History you had to do a practical Art subject as well. I couldn’t draw and my teacher Neil suggested we build a darkroom. I then started taking photos and fell in love with it. I’m still in love with it.
Who has been your favourite or most memorable subject so far? The Queen because she is the Queen and Nick because I have photographed him and been his friend for 30 years, and that means a lot to me.
How do you get your subjects to relax in front of the camera? I’m relaxed and chatty. I try to treat all people as equals.
In the age of digital development and an increasingly competitive market, what advice would you give to young photographers interested in the field? Stick to your vision, don’t deviate, cultivate your uniqueness.
‘Smudge’ takes place at Other Criteria from the 18 March – 7 April 2011.
