INTERVIEW David K Shields
We are honoured to share with you a showcase of works by artist HENRY HARGREAVES from his series No Seconds – a project exploring the last moments of civility for those on death row. A travelling exhibition of photographs shown initially at the 2013 Venice Biennale, No Seconds continues to garner global interest with its stark depiction of the condemned’s final meal, and a burgeoning demand for his work.
In crafting visual narratives with such a humanistic intention, Hargreaves’ work transcends mere representation with its quirky sense of approach. Each project he undertakes is imbued with an attitude of potential in some form, whether creating a sense of fun around such usual aspects of life as sustenance, or offering his insights around the various societal issues and philosophical questions he looks to explore on a personal level.
No Seconds reflects his belief in the power of art to influence and inspire change. By integrating his understandings of human experience and other critical social issues into his work, Hargreaves invites his audience to consider other perspectives, and generate engagement with the world and its contemporary issues anew.
“As I read about the requests that were made I felt a sense of empathy for these people. Up until now they had generally been depicted by the state and through the media as bad people meeting their deserved end. Whereas now through this common denominator of food they became more than just a statistic and were strangely personalised. It made me curious about the entire justice system and how certain people are deemed bad enough to not walk the earth anymore, and if this system is prone to any biases or mistakes.” HENRY HARGREAVES
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