![Poster advertising female candidate for Polish election 2023](https://gignouxphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/The-Powers-That-Be-black-background-1920x1440.jpg)
In 2023-2024 Alan and Chloe were resident artists at Sala752 in Zaczernie, Poland.
Travelling around Poland researching coal mining we were struck by the faces of politicians beaming at us from colourful political banners wherever we went. It was clear we had arrived in the middle of an important general election which saw the ruling right-wing nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS) up against Donald Tusk and the Civic Coalition alongside two smaller parties, The Third Way, and the Left. We sensed a great hope for change from the people we met, who hoped to see an end to the 8-year rule of the ultra-conservative government.
As Alan had some Polaroid film left over from another trip, we decided to use it to document the political banners, zooming in on the features of these potential changemakers. The resulting body of work investigates the peculiar visual language of political advertising – how political hopefuls aiming to stand out from the crowd promote themselves using identical tricks of the trade drawn straight from marketing manuals, hoping to sell their “unique” vision of a better life for everyone. Persuading us to vote for them is an essential step on the road to these would-be leaders becoming “The Powers That Be.”
An edit of our “The Powers That Be” series can be seen now until Saturday, 8th June at Salon/24, Photofusion’s first exhibition at their recently opened new premises in Brixton.
Salon/24
Thursday, 9th May – Saturday, 8th June
10:00 – 18:00
Photofusion
Unit 2
2 Beehive Place
London SW9 7QR
Salon/24, curated by Kim Shaw, showcases the work of Photofusion’s growing community, with this year holding the work of 86 Photofusion members. The work ranges in theme and encompasses almost every genre.
Exhibiting Artists:
Aindreas Scholz, Alan Gignoux and Chloe Juno, Alec Leggat, Alex Stone in collaboration with Angus Stewart, Alicia Monedero, Andy Wiener, Angus Stewart, Ann Russell, Anna Lerner, Anna Petkova, Anna Watson, Anne-Marie Briscombe, Anthony Carr, Aris Akritidis, Ayo Adegun, Caroline Jane Harris, Charlotte Annand, Chris Burrows, Claudia Leisinger, Dee Ramadan, Diggory Lynch, Duncan Godfrey, Ed Ram, Ed Sykes, Edward Brilliant, Elaine Duigenan, Ellie Laycock, Ezra Evans, Francesca Moore, Frankie McAllister, George Thomas, Héloïse Bergman, Jaqueline Ennis-Cole, James Berrington, Jan Enkelmann, Janet Rich, Jaqueline Alves, Josie Kyan, Julie Derbyshire, Kate Coe Temnomeroff, Katie Bee, Kim Thornton, Kristy Gosling, Krzysztof Krolikowski, Ky Lewis, Laura Ward, Lian Chan, Lilly Amey Mary, Liz Leahy, Mandy Williams, Maria Pia Jaime, Martha Orbach, Megan Eagles, Megan Jeffreys, Megan Ringrose, Mimi Winter, Mitchell Moreno, Natalie Robinson, Neal Scott, Nick Walker, Nikolai Ishchuk, Olivia Luca Jospé, Patrick Whibley, Paul Ferman, Paul Graville, Pedro Younis, Pippa Healy, Rachel Adams, Rachel Wegh, Rebecca Wickham, Rosie Barnes, Sabes Sugunasabesan, Samantha Johnston, Sandrine Aim, Sandy Connell, Sara Hannant, Sergey Novikov, Stella Grigor McGarvey, Sue Ridge, Tamsin Green, Ted Dave, The1Harris, Tzion Essek, Valerie Bennett, Wei Jian Chan & Wendy Aldiss.
Share this...