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Growing Up Travelling: The Inside World of Irish Traveller Children
The US American photographer Jamie Johnson has been traveling around the world for twenty years and is best known for her touching portraits of children. When she came to Ireland for the first time in 2014, she immediately felt connected to the cosmos of the Irish Travellers and would visit and photograph them time and again for five years. The encounter with the children of this extremely poor and socially discriminated population group fascinated her and even changed her views as a mother. Fascinated by the resilience and optimism of the children, who are proud of the culture and traditions of the Irish Travellers, Johnson’s portraits aim to promote the perception and respect of children as such, far removed from the common prejudices of society.
- GenresPhotographyNonfiction
96 pages, Hardcover
Published September 29, 2020
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 21, 2023
The photography and story the images tell rivals the work of Mary Ellen Mark. Many aspire to that, but few achieve it like this work. It is the product of 10-years dedicated work by Ms. Johnson.
The story is as old as humanity and anthropological as well as cultural and artistic. Human tribes and groups have lived like the Irish Travelers since we started walking upright. The ability of artists like Ms. Johnson, writers, movie makers, and playwrights to capture all the different subcultures like travelers helps everyone understand ourselves and our own lives and societies more deeply.
This book is sad too and shows a darker side to traveler culture. The men turn their backs on the camera so their faces are not shown, there are greyhounds indicative of the cruel sport of dog racing, as well as cages of puppies from puppy mills.
The photographer does a great service in capturing these children and illuminating our humanity and the lives the vast majority of it's members live. It cautions us to not judge without first looking in our own mirrors and familial pasts.
The story is as old as humanity and anthropological as well as cultural and artistic. Human tribes and groups have lived like the Irish Travelers since we started walking upright. The ability of artists like Ms. Johnson, writers, movie makers, and playwrights to capture all the different subcultures like travelers helps everyone understand ourselves and our own lives and societies more deeply.
This book is sad too and shows a darker side to traveler culture. The men turn their backs on the camera so their faces are not shown, there are greyhounds indicative of the cruel sport of dog racing, as well as cages of puppies from puppy mills.
The photographer does a great service in capturing these children and illuminating our humanity and the lives the vast majority of it's members live. It cautions us to not judge without first looking in our own mirrors and familial pasts.
Displaying 1 of 1 review