Hero's ella Joyce FEATURES STUDIO WEST'S EXHIBITION, 'BRYNLEY ODU DAVIES: ARTIST PORTRAITS'.
Beginning in 2020, the photographer tells us of the projects almost accidental birth; “It came about organically, I think it was driven by my love of photography. During lockdown my previous work in the music industry came to a sudden stop and at the same time, I met some artists who lived near me in south-east London. As time went on, I naturally began to photograph them."
Three years later, Odu Davies has photographed over two hundred artists in their studio spaces across the entirety of the UK, intending to spotlight the diversity of the individuals forming the next generation of creatives. Looking beyond capital cities, the project took Odu Davies everywhere from his own neighbourhood to the Scottish coastline and from Northern Ireland’s capital of Belfast to the depths of the Welsh countryside. Painting a comprehensive portrait stands at the fore of the photographer’s practice; “I wanted it to be inclusive and far-reaching, not just focussing on the artists in London, or those who studied at a certain university or were associated with a specific gallery.”