Coasting by Imogen Forte

Honourable Mention: Personal

This project responds to Brexit and the ongoing effects it is having within the UK. “The events of the past few years have drawn into focus how little I know of the place I call home,” explains Imogen Forte. “I’ve always been proud of my Britishness, and confident in what Britishness means to me, but in the past few years it’s become clear how many different conceptions of Britishness there are. It’s become apparent how divided a nation the UK truly is.

“It became obvious to me how much of a bubble I’ve grown up in and reminded me of how little of the UK I’d actually explored,” she continues. “So I set out to get to know the UK, tracing the coastline of England and documenting the places and people I encountered, with the aim of falling in love with Britain and Britishness again.

“I’ve grown sick of the divisive rhetoric and so it was important for me to uncover the things that unite us in our increasingly divided state. I wanted to look for the universal in the personal and find familiarity in unfamiliar places. Consequently, the series focuses on portraits that evoke the similarities between us in the face of increasing division.”

imogenforte.com