Richard Ansett — New Work — Children of Grenfell

Amiel, 10 © Richard Ansett 2017

STATEMENT

These images are of 5 children who survived the Grenfell Tower Fire, shot on the eve of the 6 month anniversary.

The word celebrity has positive connotations but there are different forms of attention, ‘wanted’ and ‘unwanted’. When the spotlight falls on us it can be both destructive and chaotic as well as therapeutic, some of us crave the attention and others withdraw. It is impossible to pre-judge the reaction and any single response should not be assumed and especially with children we have a duty of care.

All of us are exposed to events in childhood that alter the shape of our adult relationship to the world. It takes time to separate the behaviours that have moulded our genetic blueprint, especially those that limit our ability to realize our full potential. There are no short cuts, we can only start to work on an injury when it is realised.

It is complex and often impossible to isolate any one reason that might limit our future and give it a simple label. But, here there is an inescapable event for blame, an undeniable dark monolith and not just a personal private experience to it; there must be a relationship to the public and historic disaster also. Whilst all these children are survivors and share connections to the event, their response is and will be entirely unique. Their lives are indisputably altered.