William Lailey
Bio
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William Lailey studied photographic arts at The University Of Westminster and was a vocational tutor of photography at Reading College. He is currently working as a freelance photographer and undertaking collaborative projects and finding new ways to exhibit his work to the public.
He is constantly drawn to themes such as identity and tradition in the local and the 'everyday' through documentary and portraiture. Primarily his goal is to represent communities photographically and provide a communal space for people to reflect, discuss ideas and encourage conversation.
William identifies everydayness of British culture through the faces of the ordinary people of these current times. He aims to offer an alternative to the all-consuming world of social media and culture of fear, which he claims has pushed us to new levels of anxiety and created a toxic psychological view. His work helps to break down these harsh barriers and bring back some kind of reflective human connection by celebrating the everyday.
Photo Bus
Showcasing the ordinary world of taking the bus made something seemingly everyday become extraordinary and worthy of representation; a celebration of the great tradition of being on the buses together with the milk of human kindness. It is with photography that this project seeks to create and maintain relationships of different cultures and traditional values that make up the diversity of this town.
William for MG
The PhotoBus is a photographic portraiture project in collaboration with Moving Gallery (MG) and Reading Buses. In response to the brief, the idea attempts to create an ambitious visual representation of the proposed ‘inclusive community.’ The project features portraits and interviews collected from the general public and staff who provide the services. Any participation has been encouraged and the success of the project relied on this shared experience.
A different route has been selected and explored every day, offering members of the community to partake. A visit to the Reading buses Depot on Great Knollys’ Street allowed the staff to share their stories and experiences. At the end of the project, these interactions produced a collection of photographs and small quotes that are displayed on the interior of a 530 Bus creating a space of conversation between the entire communities. The work presented itself on an Instagram page for people to access beyond the exhibition itself, allowing people to share and comment on the portraits and stories.
The PhotoBus is also online. Go to the_photobus_rdg on Instagram (this link will be active from Dec. 9, 2017).