The ‘Incomplete Circle’ bu Simon Ciappara FRPS
A Handmade Photobook Presentation
Tuesday 31 October 2023
Ensō - a Japanese word meaning 'circle'.
Zen, a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism emphasizing the value of meditation and intuition rather than ritual worship or study of scriptures.
In Zen, anensō is a circle hand-drawn in one or two uninhibited brushstrokes to express a moment when the mind is free to let the body create.
NDPS is a long established Society. Over the last few years, we have been able to raise our profile in the photographic world thanks in large part to our programme of events. Special Presentations delivered in person or via Zoom from experts around the world. So how will an ordinary member of the Society stand up alongside our normal Special Presentation experts?
Simon, our Vice Chair, and long standing member, proved to be easily up to the task. Presenting and explaining something very close to his heart. Enthusiasm, tenacity, and commitment to his art shone through.
Of course, he began by talking of the time, long, long ago in Jamaica, where he discovered how paper was made from plants and how he began small businesses producing handmade papers which continue to thrive today.
Later in life he re-visited paper making and found himself making paper from shrubs within a 10 mile radius of his home and this combined with his love of photography brought his thoughts to his next stage. He already had a Licentiate from the Royal Photographic Society and for his Associate he could make paper from various plants and then print photographs of the plants onto the paper made from the plants! During the covid pandemic we hosted a talk by Tony Bramley himself a fellow of the RPS who said to Simon when they spoke during the interval ‘This is not an Associate project; this is Fellowship material'. So, he made the book, submitted it and was rejected . . . Heartbreak. But he looked at his submission, saw the mistakes and, did it all again, re-submitted and was granted the coveted Fellowship award.
Simon led us through the concept stages, the paper production stages, the printing and binding stages through to the final book. An engaging journey through the world of handmade photo books. A journey Simon calls 'The Incomplete Circle'.
Our thanks to Simon and to his assistant Paul on the camera and projector. An evening of staggering imagination and hands on craftsmanship.
