Julian
Woollatt has taken his inspiration for The Historians
from 20 th century historical re-enactment events that take place
around Britain. The project having evolved over the past four years,
includes portraits, still lives and battlefield scenarios referring
to the Vietnam War; the First and Second World Wars.
Woollatt is fascinated by
this unusual leisure activity and the unique ways individuals adopt
specific roles. The participants take on roles that are different
from their everyday lives. They pursue authenticity in the detail
of their uniforms, makeup and stances to give a convincing portrayal
of each era. However, looking closely, there are elements and small
clues that indicate that these images have been taken in the present.
Woollatt captures a world
that does not exist either in the past or in the present but is
a constructed theatrical reality. In fact, the subjects appear frozen
in time; mannequin-like in their chilling scenarios. The Historians,
in this way, succeeds in creating an interaction between what
we know to be disguise and what we understand to have been real.
Julian Woollatt lives in
Southend on Sea and studied at West Surrey College of Art and Design
in the early 80s. His work has been featured in the British Journal
of Photography, Photoworks, The Face, Creative Camera and the Guardian.
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