“The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum” , The State Of Britain Series , No 2 , 2016 .
Todays picture is probably one of my more significant captures , in fact as time passes it appears to become more important !
This picture is a early capture from my The State Of Britain Project , this project is a visual record of England during the Brexit era between 2016 -2020 , I think it is fair to describe this photograph as a signature piece within the series …
In order to understand the context of this picture a understanding of the divisive 2016 political landscape is necessary , Boris Johnston had just led the Brexit “Leave” campaign to a 52% - 48% victory in the EU referendum , instigating the resignation of the then Prime Minister David Cameron who led the campaign to “Remain” , Johnson went on to become Foreign Secretary in Theresa Mays Tory Government before she too found herself unable to continue !
As we all know Johnson then went on to become PM ,defeating Jeremy Corbyn in the 2019 election , the words Covid , Pandemic and lockdown had not yet entered common usage at this time but that’s another story for another series !
“The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum” slogan summed up the anger , disbelief and frustration felt by many who did not want to leave The European Super state , this was especially true of the young people who had never known a independent UK in their lifetime , a genuine sense of loss was felt by many … I think that sadness is reflected in this picture …
One of the things that struck me about this image was the lack of smiles , despite the dancing , great weather carnival atmosphere and loud music , no one was smiling, including the caricature of “BOJO THE CLOWN” he just looked out towards the camera with a deadpan expression and a lipstick kiss on his cheek !
I associate this weekend in 2016 with the beginning of the State Of Britain project and the beginning of the uncertainty that remains …
I remember the afternoon I shot this picture very well as I tend to chronicle my life through the “Better” pictures that I make , I had only just completed my Another Day Off project weeks before and had not fully established the idea of The State Of Britain Project within my own mind , I suspected significant change lay ahead following the Brexit vote but I had no idea of how this change would manifest itself visually within my day to day and what my new series of pictures would look like , in short I was winging it , change would not wait for me to get my act together , I needed to make a start …
The State Of Britain series was very much a response to what I knew were changing times , I didn’t have a detailed plan , I’m not sure our elected representatives did either ? .
I recognised that for once I was in the right place at the right time , to tell this story . This was my chance to photographically respond to events that were of historic significance , I never imagined the project would last as long as it has or that life would be as chaotic as it has become …
Let me be clear this picture is not a “By Chance Observation” , this picture really is the result of hard work , I had no desire to shoot “Another” carnival in Another Day Off style , I was looking for a bit more , I was looking for everyday reflections of the response to Brexit life , however that looked or whatever that was and this carnival float reflected the uncertainties perfectly …
I invested the whole day making pictures around this “BOJO” artwork , I knew that the BOJO portrait had the potential to contribute to a important picture , I hoped that the right picture could / would anchor my new Brexit themed series and become the signature pic !
I’m always on the lookout for scenarios that can become iconic representations of time and place , its not easy , you have to have one eye in the here and now and another on the future , significance is a difficult trick in a unpredictable world !
I always wanted the State Of Britain project to be a genuine record of the Brexit era and was aware of my responsibility to remain apolitical, which is not easy for me , my ambitions were to make a responsible piece of work that went beyond propaganda and gave a genuine sense of these divisive , uncertain times !
I’m really proud of this project and look forward to sharing these pictures with a larger audience , if and when some form of normality returns ?
Brexit and Covid still feel unresolved to me , its been one hell of a journey …
I understand that folk are still perplexed and confused by what has happened here , I am too …
“The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum” , Gloucester , 2016 .
This series of blogs is based around pictures from my archive , I hope the words that accompany the featured pictures offer a level of context , insight and inspiration to readers .
“The Foto What I Took” blog title , is a comedy reference “borrowed" / inspired” by the Morcambe and Wise “The Play What I Wrote“ sketch …
MORE…
If your blessed with a bit more time feel free to visit highlights from my Another Day Off project , The State Of Britain series , The Testing Times pictures or the “In Progress” , “Living” In Limbo… pics , they represent the most turbulent years in modern British history and ten years of my life…
Many more The Foto What I Took Blogs are available too …
