pete mcgovern

Atlas Gallery

  Disruptions Taysir Batniji Winner of the 2024 Paris-Aperture PhotoBook of the year Award. “I dedicate this publication to my mother (1933-2017), and to the fifty-two members of my immediate family killed by Israeli bombs in November 2023: my sister Hanan (1963-2023), her husband Abd Elrahim (1957-2023), their children and grandchildren, my cousin Mansoura (1949-2023), my cousin Bakr (1962-2023) and all those who took refuge in our family home in the Al-Shijaya neighbourhood. Finally, to my brother Fayez (1951-2023), who died in Gaza a few days after my sister, due to lack of medical care.”

So nice to get an email from the V&A Dundee the other day to let me know they intend to include two of my camera obcsucra photographs (taken on the Whitfiled estate during the Summer), in a forthcoming book.   Several months later and a cardboard box is still my camera of choice. Pic from a few hours ago, still attempting to find a modicum of focus and exposure. 

I woke up at 6.45. There was the first, pretty, trace of light in the sky when I looked out of the window. On impulse I got dressed, and after a NO breakfast cycled to THE HEDGE at the nearby air-base.  This is the site of the UK's operations for drone surveillance and extra-judicial killings. This autumn is my tenth year visiting the site, usually a few times each year.  The routine, as first figured out back in 2015, I go, turn my back on the perimeter fence (a prohibted site for photography) and face instead the flat Lincolnshire landscape - or rather the hedge that runs beside and parallel to the fence. This is my pointless protest.  Only half way there this morning and the sun appeared on the horizon, I was gonna miss that very soft pre-dawn light.  The humidity was super high so everywhere was dripping wet even though there had not been any rain. As anticipated my feet were soaked in 10 seconds. The cycle ride took it out of me and combined with a runny nose and wet feet the