The Second Edition of the sought after book GOVANHILL by Simon Murphy. The anticipation pays off, as the second Edition of this unique take on portraying an entire neighbourhood has arrived and convinces with a velvety feel and outstandingly crisp images.
Simon Murphy’s unconventional and intimate portraits of his hometown residents, of characters and personalities who seem to exude authenticity, and to even parts vulnerability and defiance, when put together paint a colourful, diverse, and flamboyant picture of their community: Govanhill.
Once one of Glasgow’s problem-suburbs, Govanhill is thriving and bursting with life. As we walk the streets with Murphy, we discover through his lens the variety of walks of life, the long-established locals, the creative sproutings of a plenitude of sub-cultures, the children and their playing field of fantasies, congruent with the streets and parks.
Murphy’s particular style of timeless, pristine, and balanced image composition, he achieves with his analog camera, clashes so fittingly with the smeared walls and dark back alleys that it transports the viewer into a dreamlike parallel world. With his smooth studio-like aesthetic he manages to capture the essence of his subjects elegantly yet candidly, without judgement, without adding or taking away, he creates scenarios, which are hard to believe came to be in busy streets and by a chance encounter, rendering two strangers into familiar, intertwined accomplices, which leave the viewer with a sense of profound connection themselves.
This intimacy and delicateness are the fingerprint of Murphy’s photography, and they wonderfully embody his love for his community as well as the role he takes within it.
This Edition will be printed and bound in Belgium.
Specs:
ISBN: 978-0-9574145-9-4
NUMBER OF PAGES: 136
FORMAT: 20x 27cm
PAPER: Munken Lynx 150gsm SIXFOLD: Nevia soft 150gsm.
HARDBACK COVER
CLOTH BAND and Hot-stamped titles
BINDING: SEWN
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
WORDS: Laura Estelle Barmwoldt
All copies manually numbered with stamp. Limited Edition of 500 copies.
Please note: Orders from the UK will be fulfilled and sent within the UK. While orders for Europe and Rest of the World will be shipped from Germany. (The counter below shows the total books available of the combined warehouses). Shipping will be made in May 2024.
You can purchase up to three copies per person.
What the media wrote about Govanhill book:
BBC: The photos that capture Glasgow's cultural melting pot.
Fstoppers: Portraits of a Place.
Discarded Mag: Defining intimacy.
Black & White Mag: The Heart of a Community.
Glasgow Guardian: Govanhill: a bold photographic portrait.
ArtMag: The Power of Photography.
The Herald: Simon Murphy's portraits show a different side to Govanhill.
Gomma Publishing Ltd will donate 10% of sales made through gomma.works of “Govanhill” by Simon Murphy from May to September 2024 to the charity Sistema Scotland. Funds raised will support Sistema Scotland’s Big Noise Govanhill music and social programme in Glasgow, helping children and young people improve their confidence, wellbeing and learning.
