Book Project

I was inspired to start this project having witnessed and documented my own two children's lives so far. Being constantly aware of the pressures - real and perceived - that are imposed on parents to supposedly satisfy and enhance our lives, I wanted to reveal life as seen through a child's eyes. What if we could all relive the beauty and space of our childhood's? How little we really needed in order to be fulfilled.

VISIBLE, NOW
Philip Gostelow 2005

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
Roald Dahl

The sanctity of childhood has never been in more peril. Capitalism sells the public a dream that is nearly always just out of reach. In pursuit of happiness and security parents are less available for their children. This together with the increasing occurrence of single parent families in society, means the freedom for a child to revel in the spirit of youth is being eroded. Children grow up so quickly.

The fragility and ephemeral nature of childhood is an essential part of healthy human development that should not suffer prejudice, poverty or perversion. In an exploration of boundaries - determining its place with in the world - a child by nature is drawn in equal measure to light and darkness.

Honouring the space for a child to imagine, play, explore and wonder is the most important freedom. In their exploration of life children live very much with in their imaginations: see the world through a child’s eyes and witness the ephemera of innocence and beauty.

Image titles:
image 01 Dream (cover)
image 02 Hill End
image 03 Untitled: Collage #2
image 04 Attack
image 05 Aquarium
image 06 Scarecrows, Grapevine
image 07 Wedding
image 08 Yuki, Colin, Shanti
image 09 Summer Dusk
image 10 Lounge
image 11 Afternoon: Verandah, Eden and a 28
image 12 Dog
image 13 Winter