Stephen Gill

Stephen Gill is best known for his experimental photographs, especially those taken in settings around East London, which reflect his interest in the relationship between human beings and nature. Gill initially produced documentary style photographs and learned darkroom techniques from his father. He eventually started experimenting with more abstract approaches to photography; he often inserts small pieces of debris into the body of his camera before shooting, deliberately skewing his photographs’ sense of scale and depth. Gill’s photographs often complicate the viewer’s perception of surface and reality, as seen in Untitled, from the series ’Talking to Ants’ (2009/2013), a photo of blue sky obscured by the broken tip of a ruler and the silhouettes of two small insects crawling across the frame. Also widely known for his production of artists’ books, Gill founded his own publishing imprint called Nobody Books in 2005. His work has been exhibited internationally and at London’s National Portrait Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Tate.