Street Photography nominee

I am fascinated by the marks we make on the world and the poetry that arises as they disintegrate. At the heart of this poetry is the fundamental reality of impermanence. I am drawn to the traditional Japanese ideal of perfect beauty, wabi-sabi, which acknowledges three simple truths: nothing lasts, nothing is finished and nothing is perfect. This is reflected in my work as a kind of recycling of perception, which for me is also a way of being in the world without turning away from the devastation that’s all around us. I have a passion for stalking urban landscapes to find redemption on the street, in cracked walls and rotting signs, in the cathedral-like spaces of abandoned buildings. Robert Kennedy once said, “There is a Chinese curse which says, ‘May you live in interesting times’. Like it or not, we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty, but they are also more open to the creative energy of men than any other time in history.” The images here are from my Anthropocene Prophecy series: an abstracted curation of these interesting times.

Janet Lees is an artist and poet working with photography, film and collage. Last year she was the visual artist representing the Isle of Man at the Festival Interceltique in Lorient, France, with an exhibition of art photography and film. This was reprised in her solo show 'Evidence of humanity' in the island. Her film-based work have been selected for international festivals and prizes including the Aesthetica Art Prize and Filmpoem. Her poetry is widely published in journals and anthologies around the world. This spring will see the publication of a book of her images and poetry. Janet is a member of Shutter Hub https://shutterhub.org.uk/photographers/janet-lees/