Govanhill by Simon Murphy
Second edition
Published by Gomma Books, 2024
Hardcover
136 pages
The Second Edition of the sought after book GOVANHILL by Simon Murphy. The anticipation pays off, as the second Edition of this unique take on portraying an entire neighbourhood has arrived and convinces with a velvety feel and outstandingly crisp images.
Simon Murphy’s unconventional and intimate portraits of his hometown residents, of characters and personalities who seem to exude authenticity, and to even parts vulnerability and defiance, when put together paint a colourful, diverse, and flamboyant picture of their community: Govanhill.
Once one of Glasgow’s problem-suburbs, Govanhill is thriving and bursting with life. As we walk the streets with Murphy, we discover through his lens the variety of walks of life, the long-established locals, the creative sproutings of a plenitude of sub-cultures, the children and their playing field of fantasies, congruent with the streets and parks.
Murphy’s particular style of timeless, pristine, and balanced image composition, he achieves with his analog camera, clashes so fittingly with the smeared walls and dark back alleys that it transports the viewer into a dreamlike parallel world. With his smooth studio-like aesthetic he manages to capture the essence of his subjects elegantly yet candidly, without judgement, without adding or taking away, he creates scenarios, which are hard to believe came to be in busy streets and by a chance encounter, rendering two strangers into familiar, intertwined accomplices, which leave the viewer with a sense of profound connection themselves.
This intimacy and delicateness are the fingerprint of Murphy’s photography, and they wonderfully embody his love for his community as well as the role he takes within it.
