Curating the Ajmal Samuel Foundation Collection.

I sit here in Durban South Africa today, waiting for the rain to lift. Tomorrow, according to the forecast, will be a brilliant sunny day, perfect weather to set off down the Kwa-Zulu Natal coast. It's now high time to strike off the miles to the Karoo. The hinterland guarantees sunshine all the way to Cape Town.

In the midst of the present, within the confines of my African hotel room, I seize the opportunity to reflect on a captured moment from Europe.

It's an image etched in the antechambers of St Anne's, a Gothic Catholic church dating back to 1500AD in Vilnius, Lithuania. This particular image is a creation from the initial days of a monumental 50-day odyssey undertaken with Ajmal Samuel. I revisit this image not merely for nostalgia but to distill its essence—to remind myself of the purpose behind its capture, assessing its significance to both Ajmal, me, and perhaps the broader photographic or gallery community.

The monumental task I have looming ahead of me involves sifting through and cataloging the myriad images captured during our Baltic and Scandinavian expedition. Ajmal and I have decided to compile a collection of these images, envisioning a book and potentially carefully curated selections for exhibitions. These exhibitions might find a home in the respective capitals of the countries we traversed. Each image, including this one, demands careful distillation, contemplation, and selection based on its artistic and aesthetic importance.

I discern two distinct categories for the body of work I've produced for Mr. Samuel:

1. A documentation and record of the sights witnessed during our travels—an intimate visual diary meant for Mr. Samuel, his family, and associates. These images serve as a cherished album, preserving memories of the shared experiences, featuring candid moments with Ajmal, his wife, and his team.

2. The second consideration involves curating images for their artistic merit, contributing to the realm of documentary photography. These could be labeled as signature images—photographs or series representing crucial milestones in my career. They endorse my understanding of fundamental photographic genres, encompassing the 'decisive moment,' embedded within the genres of urbanscape/landscape/street photography.

The goal is to create compelling art photography that speaks of subtle beauty intertwined with tense incongruity.

Returning to the chosen image, here's why it stands out to me:

The vibrant color harmonies—greens, browns, and turquoise hues—captivate the eye. Compositionally, it brings satisfaction, with a lineup of human figures and faces across the frame, adorned with a marble gargoyle on the far right. Even the balloon carries a caricature human face motif, inviting viewers to scrutinize each face. In the center, I interpret caricatures of individuals—a boastful boy, an attentive priest, a coy young girl, and her protective mother. The woman on the left provides context, directing attention toward the subjects. Meanwhile, a subtly lit doorway near the woman in the background adds an intriguing element.

Personally, I believe this image warrants thorough study, encouraging consideration of the incongruous elements at play.

It beckons one to delve into the intersection of the fairground/carnival vibe with the Gothic dark ages, contemplating the Aryan faces, attire that hints at post-Eastern Bloc influence—subtle nuances waiting to be explored by those willing to delve into them.

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