Susi Luard, Winner in Royal Photographic Society
Photographer of the Year 2017
Susi Luard, CCoH Member living half the year in London, has received the First Place Gold Medal prize in the Monochrome Category in the Royal Photographic Society Documentary Photographer of The Year competition. The competition was run by the RPS Documentary group but open to all RPS members worldwide. Contestants were invited to submit a documentary photo essay consisting of five images, with a title on a subject of the photographer’s own choosing. Contestants could submit either in the Colour or Monochrome Category. The Royal Photographic Society, founded in 1853, is the oldest, one of the largest, and most esteemed photography group in the world.
Artist's Statement:
MOURNING THE CLOSURE OF THE WHITE HORSE STRIP PUB IN SHOREDITCH
When the family run strip pub closed because of rising rents the strippers lost their place of work. The East London Strippers Collective protested with an 'RIP Shoreditch' New Orleans style funeral procession on 14 August 2016 from the White Horse Pub, along Rivington Street, and ending at the Red Gallery with an exhibition and party. The atmosphere was electric with the beautiful ladies in their strippers costumes carrying a life-size coffin accompanied by fabulous jazz music provided by a saxophonist and a drummer. I was caught up with emotion and sympathy for the strippers that after photographing the procession I joined the procession with flowers in my hand. Has Shoreditch just lost more of its wildness?
