browseJungle Portraits
Isabella Jedrzejczyk (Photographer)
Text drawn from Side Gallery archive documentation:
In 1979, in conjunction with North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council, Side Gallery jointly funded a photographic project entitled North Tyneside Survey. The idea was to commission several photographers to work on a variety of ‘elements’, which might initially provide the basis for a series of small exhibitions. In addition it was agreed to produce one piece of historical research (The Building of the Mauritania). Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, Graham Smith, Marketa Luskacova and Isabella Jedrzejczyk worked on projects which included urban landscapes, seaside leisure activities and the photographing of North Shields. The photographers worked with an open brief once the areas of concern had been agreed and essentially the work is their vision of North Tyneside.
As well as photographing North Tyneside urban landscapes, Isabella Jedrzejczyk made this series of portraits from a pub known as The Jungle. All urban areas have their own feel and North Tyneside is no exception. The idea was related to the concept of self-image: a small portrait studio was set up in the pub’s back room and people were invited to sit for their portraits. The result is a simple direct document of how people wish to represent themselves.
The exhibition was first shown at Side Gallery in 1981.