FOUND SLIDES

Since discovering her grandfather’s collection of Kodak Kodachrome 35mm slides dating back from the 1960s, Georgie has been collecting others from various places with the intention to preserve and share the images taken from the once renowned, now-discontinued film stock.

Kodachrome, known for its iconic colour rendition, was the film of choice for many, especially between the 1950s - 1970s. The slides developed from this film possess a distinct charm and unparalleled colour accuracy, revealing vibrant hues that encapsulate the spirit of the captured moments. From the warm golden tones of summer landscapes to the vivid reds of a classic 1960s Dodge in California.

Collecting these slides evokes a profound sense of nostalgia, along with owning a piece of history. Each slide often carries some personal or historical significance, offering a glimpse into the lives of people, their celebrations, travels, and everyday moments and providing a window to an era we may never have experienced personally.

BENEATH THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN PEAKS
PALM SPRINGS (2024)

A desert community where pastel-coloured mid-century homes stand as colourful sentinels against the backdrop of the arid landscape. In this photographic series, Georgie Gibbs delved into the heart of Palm Springs, capturing the core of its distinctive architecture and atmosphere of its welcoming community.

Streets lined with homes reminiscent of a bygone era - there's a sense of nostalgia mixed with a warmth that permeates the air. The mid-century architecture, with its clean lines and playful use of colour, tells a story of a time when optimism reigned supreme and innovation thrived.

“Photographically, at first glance I thought Palm Springs was so aesthetic, maybe too aesthetic, but as time went by, it was the little details that caught my eye.” Beyond the aesthetics, it was the people, set against a backdrop of 1950s homes and palm trees. From retirees who have made the desert oasis their permanent home to young families seeking a slower pace of life, there's a sense of neighbourliness that defines the fabric of the city.

“As I documented the daily life of the city as my trip came to an end, I came to understand that this unique community has its challenges – from the impact of climate change on the fragile desert ecosystem to the pressures of gentrification threatening the affordability and diversity of Palm Springs.” Yet, amidst these challenges, there's a resilience that runs deep, a determination to preserve the unique character of this desert enclave.

The series invites you to experience Palm Springs not as a glamorous destination for the elite, but as a place where everyday life unfolds against the canvas of the desert landscape. It's a celebration of community and creativity in all its pastel-coloured glory. Greetings from Palm Springs.

BENEATH THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN PEAKS
LOS ANGELES (2022 - 2024)

The project was an observation of the modern-day metropolis, Los Angeles. The documentary approach pays tribute to the spirit of the city through a cinematic exploration and captures the visceral rush of a municipality reinventing itself around every corner.

With the Hollywood sign on the hillside in the distance, as the plane came to land during a typical L.A. pink and purple sunset, the pilot announced “touchdown in tinseltown”. The idea was to go out there as a photo trip and network. Being in such a well-recognised location with so many cultural references from movies, tv shows and music was surreal. Though Georgie had never travelled to the States before, she was well aware of its scale, how much bigger and spaced out the urban landscape in the US than in the UK, even more so than expected and found Los Angeles to be an interesting place, with many layers to it. 

“In the UK, photo trips are condensed into a much smaller area to cover (and mostly walkable) primarily shooting exterior scenes, so I had to rely more on other modes of transport to mobilise myself as efficiently as I could. I often walked between locations, but as it was spring, the Californian heat hadn’t peaked. I felt like an outsider looking in, capturing LA’s beautiful, lonely, weird and dreamy city. Los Angeles is not just the movie capital but a creative capital. I met artists, musicians, surfers and those who want to create and find their dream by making their art - I liked the energy of that.”

With some respite from the bustle (and the infamous LA traffic), Georgie headed north to the Ojai mountains with Kandai, a local surfer from San Diego, lover of vintage motors, nature, super 8 and Khruangbin. The drive took them through the valleys of Ojai, a community with a rich history of peace consciousness. Ojai acknowledges specifically the Chumash native people and their indigenous history of the valley which dates back over 13 thousand years. It is said that the original reason native people came to the valley was for ceremony and healing. This tradition continues throughout its history. Situated northwest of Los Angeles and east of Santa Barbara, Ojai is worlds away from the big smoke.

“Before heading back to the UK, I stayed on a couple of nights in Santa Monica with my camera, spending each day exploring between places I’d researched leading up to the trip or simply following my nose, on the lookout for details & pops of colour, uncovering and capturing surprises along the way.”

After having felt like the series wasn’t a completed body of work, Georgie travelled back to Los Angeles in 2024 for a much longer trip over winter, staying in couple of different places, from South Central, to the suburbs of Norwalk, Glendale and Hollywood to explore the surrounding neighbourhoods.

For her black & white work, the project was shot on the Olympus XA, loaded with Ilford Delta 400. She picked up inspiration from photo books, in particular, that of 'Bevan Davies | Los Angeles, 1976' and his photographs of Los Angeles residential architecture in the 1970s.

CIAO, ITALIA
ITALY SERIES (2023)

Four years passed and so Georgie took an overdue trip to visit her father, originally from St John’s Wood, London, who, now in his late 70s, resides in a 1950s converted farmhouse in the region of Abruzzo, Italy. The inspiration that guided this solo trip to Italy came after looking through a photo book ‘In Veneto, 1984-89’ by photographer Guido Guidi.

After spending a couple of days in the countryside, overlooking the foot of the Apennine mountain range, drinking espresso and sampling the local food, Georgie planned to head south, towards the west coast of the Italian peninsula, in the direction of Naples. A few days before setting off, news broke that an area of the city was struck by the strongest earthquake in 40 years, with fears of a volcanic eruption from its neighbouring volcano, Mount Vesuvius. 

I arrived in Naples, which is said to be one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean. What became clear is that religion still plays a big role there. Votive shrines depicting Jesus, the Virgin Mary or the deceased, were on what felt like almost every street, often safeguarded by ornate iron enclosures, some adorned with vibrant neon lights, particularly in the older neighbourhoods. Despite their richness in detail, I noticed that many of these structures appeared to go unnoticed amidst their modern surroundings. While others were adorned with prayer notes, candles, flowers, or a rosary, and embraced by the community as an integral part of their daily life, frequently embellished, and maintained by the families who serve as their custodians. It was clear that the connection forged between these structures and the residents remains.

“I chose Naples for its accessibility to the surrounding islands, one of which was the island of 'Ischia, a volcanic island in the Gulf of Naples, sister island to Capri, is known for its laid-back atmosphere, pastel-hued houses, natural thermal springs, lemon trees, olive groves and rocky coves ideal for swimming."  

With the island only spanning 10km east to west and 7km north to south, though it didn’t seem like much ground to cover, with its one main road that loops around the entire island, getting around was fairly straightforward. “After shooting throughout the afternoon, once I started losing the light, I’d often find myself ending the day at ‘Giardino Eden’, with its quiet lido far out on a jetty just beyond their seafood restaurant.”

During the trip, an article by The Guardian caught my eye, about one of Naples's cemeteries, with the headline “At least a dozen coffins have been left dangling in the air after the collapse of a four-storey building containing burial niches at the oldest cemetery in Naples”. It was then that I discovered Italy’s hauntingly beautiful cemetery of Poggioreale (also known as Camposanto Nuovo).

“Poggioreale” which translates to “royal hill” is one of the largest cemeteries in Europe. Its maze-like network is spread across a hilltop overlooking the city. Opened in 1837, after an area near the church was becoming overcrowded with graves, many families built private crypts and chapels which were built to “aid the soul's passage to heaven”.

Vendors selling flowers are stationed at all entrances. “What drew me to visit there were the ornate marble structures, and flowers carefully tended to, that pay homage to those who have gone and the legacy that they’ve left behind.” The coexistence of the living and the deceased can in many ways be comforting, showing the connection between generations. A place where comfort and unease coincide, that bridges the gap between the past and the present, and where introspection and reflection connect with the eerie beauty of mortality.

ENGLAND ON SEA (2017 - 2023)

The series explores the identity and resilience of England's coastal communities, capturing both their timeless appeal and the inevitability of change. ‘England On Sea’ has been an ongoing project from between 2017 to 2023, shot using 35mm film on a Minolta XG-M, passed down to her by her father. 

“These towns fascinate me because they have an energy to them that inland England doesn’t quite replicate. Many still have a strong sense of community and have seen so much change over the course of a generation, with their ever-changing landscape and distinctive colour palettes.”

Growing up somewhat landlocked in the countryside of South West England, Georgie promised herself to build a life by the coast. On each return to a location, it’s evident to see that as time passes, an increasing portion of the authentic British seaside is being removed, replaced and modernised. The series delves into the spirit of the residents that call it home, taking a look at the nuances and complexities of those residing there. “This is my way of documenting a piece of history.”

Sue’s | England on Sea (August 2020)
”After finding myself watching the evening news with my lovely mum one evening, I instantly recognised a house by the sea, once home to a lady named Sue. Watching her house be demolished, I felt saddened. I remember looking over at the house wondering what it would be like to live there.

The ever-crumbling sandy cliffs in Norfolk are receding rapidly, and the residents there are having to adapt. With only one day's notice, Sue had to frantically rush to strip the house of all its belongings and furniture and later stand back and watch as her home was pulled down."

HOMELANDS (2017 - 2023)

Through photography, Georgie prefers to observe rather than direct the scenes she records. Whilst shooting her ‘Homelands’ series, she tends to look for different ways to capture the mood and energy of the place she finds herself in, looking for small details, colour, shape and character of a place. “This is my way of observing reality.”

Britain’s high streets in particular often feature in her work. Many traditional, authentic shop front facades that are still here today catch her eye - be it by their typeface or tiling & interiors, it can often feel like stepping back in time - this all adds to their uniqueness to this country and is reminiscent of a past era. If there’s one thing that has become more apparent in the seaside towns she finds herself revisiting, it’s that the future & face of Britain's high street is changing.

Whilst shooting this series, she has often felt that observation through documentary photography has the power to capture and communicate authentic stories and hopes her approach helps portray the communities she explores seen in a different light, offering a unique perspective.

PORTUGAL SERIES (2017 - 2024)

Portugal was the first country Georgie visited as a young child and has often found herself drawn back on occasions throughout her life. Her photographic series aims to provide a window into the soul of the country, showcasing its unique pastel colour palettes, and highlighting the way these colours blend and complement each other throughout each of the areas of the country she visited.

During a trip in 2021, she drove through different regions, starting from the capital, Lisbon, & heading south through farmlands with its many back roads. It was towards the final leg of the journey she ended up on a small deserted island at the southernmost point of Portugal.

Georgie revisited some of the local areas and cork farms where much of her work is featured. Portugal is a place where time can stand still, and its people embrace an unhurried way of living. By capturing the quiet beauty and sense of contentment that can be found in its slower pace of life, she hopes to convey a sense of calm & stillness that can be found in this beautiful country.

OFF-PEAK (2017 - 2023)

The series ‘Off-Peak’ was about documenting many original, once popular British seaside resort towns, out of season. There was something both eerie yet comforting when exploring these locations and the holiday parks that surround them, off-peak, all closed up for the winter before the hordes of tourists return looking to visit once again over the summer months. This quieter time of year offered a contrasting perspective to the character and identity of these towns, as they take on a different character and the pace of life slows down.

The work showcases the unique character and history of English seaside towns. The intention of the project was to document the architecture and culture of these places so that they will one day contribute to the preservation of the heritage and help share their stories.

The project captures the intimate and authentic moments that make up everyday life, revealing the traditions in the absence of the tourist industry, and evoking a sense of nostalgia. The most evident aspect about these places is how some have adapted to get by if not thrive with the new generation and others appear to have their days numbered, or have already found themselves in disrepair with their futures unclear.

THE MONOCHROME COLLECTION (2019 - 2024)

A visual exploration of place, narrative and memory, ‘The Monochrome Collection’ is a series that examines the stories embedded in the places Georgie visits, from countries including England, The States and Portugal. Each image captures the essence of these environments, highlighting the narratives that often go unnoticed.

Through this collection of quiet moments, the series emphasises the enduring nature of scenes while recording fleeting moments, offering an aesthetic that draws you into the intricate details of each setting. An approach rooted in observation, with an eye for detail and a focus on moments that reveal the true character that make each place unique.