I have discovered cinemagram.

Here at W+K London we are lucky enough to have a spacious
staircase that is whitewashed and perfect for displaying artwork. This month we are privileged to be exhibiting the work of photographer Sam Barker.

Sam began his career in the late '90s at the London School
of Printing. It was here he developed the distinctive style that gained him
recognition from The Guardian and The Telegraph and subsequently worldwide
publishing houses and advertising agencies. His work also features in the
National Portrait Gallery permanent collection and has earned him numerous
awards.

Barker’s most recent search for subject matter has taken him
further afield to Iraq, Columbia and Bhutan. It was last year’s trip to
Ethiopia’s Omo Valley that inspired the series of pictures we have on display
here. During this journey he encountered three indigenous tribes and the
resulting photographs attempt to capture a sense of their culture, utilising
Sam’s distinctive photography technique.

The pictures themselves offer a glimpse into a distinctly
foreign world, shaped largely by the tribe’s environment and lifestyle. Clever
use of lighting, a famous feature of Sam’s work, sets off figures against
indistinct, sometimes eerie expanses of bush land. Bright white skin paint and
traditional garments reflect brightly, as do foreground trees and shrubs. Bold
postures and displayed weapons remind us that, while these people are
mysterious and beautiful, they’re not models.

‘These people are not models, they are warriors who have
killed… they are mothers, grandmothers, children.’

He explores the relationship between camera, sitter and
lights, an alien experience for the tribespeople of the Omo Valley and perhaps
responsible for the weary expressions worn by some of the sitters. Above all
Sam seeks ‘to convey the dignity of the 
Omo tribespeople and the power they seem to wield’. In our minds he
achieves this with great effect.

The series is the winner of the ‘People’ category for 2012
One Life International Photography Competition and will be up in our Office for
the coming month.

 You can see more of Sam’s work here.