Gerald Jenkins / Photographer

My most pure source of inspiration is my Grandfather. He was my father figure as I was raised by my mother alone as a young boy. But his joy for life papered over that crack and he remains a large part of my spirit. On the 9th of June it was the 19th anniversary of his passing and I still miss him now like I did then.

D.H.Power

I have curated two films of his photographs. The first is of domestic life. Him as a boy up to pictures of my Mother.

Petra - Jordan 1942 by D.H. Power

The second is his time in service with the New Zealand Army. He was a gifted photographer without doubt and I was completely shocked when I found these photographs in a shoe box at the back of a cupboard. It was with a huge grin on his face that he told me they belonged to me.

He also gave me all of his cameras. I use his Leica 3f for most of my Street Photography. (see the gallery of 'Notting Hill Carnival'

His archive is my inheritance and I do not underestimate what it represents.

Recently I was approached with the most amazing request from a Chef - Ronke Arogundade who was opening a cafe in Brighton 'Dough Lover' which she described as a Cafe from the Future.

After a very short time during our first initial conversation it was apparent that Ronke was a visionary and she had debilitated as to what she wanted her Cafe to say in terms of philosophy and human expression.

She had carefully directed the textiles and fittings and now it was time for visuals. Her instinct had answered to have images of the Sun Ra Arkestra and she found me on the web. From our conversation I created a layout from her wall dimensions and things evolved quickly from there.

Portrait of Atakatune - Sun Ra Arkestra photographed in 2013 at The Barbican in an Oak Box Frame with an Ivorine Title Plaque

Marshall Allen - Sun Ra Arkestra photographed in 2013 at the Barbican Centre

We had a lot to say to each other and the White Peacock image became an addition due to the significance of the symbolic meaning of White Peacocks - of enlightenment,and incorruptibility . When I suggested to image transfer a motif of the birds feathers onto the frame we both knew it had to be done.

Image transfer of the feather motif

'Knowledge Without Love is Lifeless' 50 inches by 60 inches Giclee in an Image Transfer Box with an Ivorine Title Plaque

James Stewart & Cecil Brooks - Sun Ra Arkestra photographed at Islington Town Hall 2015

'The Tone Scientists'

'I Roam The Cosmos'

'Whose Myth Are You?' - Photocollage

Developing the Installation further Ronke discussed her other musical influences and instead of just petering out with the same material we wanted to create a 'snug' feel to the room as the viewer travelled through. Two names came up. That of Gil Scott Heron and Mark E Smith.

For the smallest panel of the Installation Two Contact Sheets were printed with Lyrics to significant songs by the Artists. These being 'Hexen Definitive'

Gil Scott Heron with Lyrics to 'B' Movie

Ronke also wanted to have reference to her childhood in West London included and so the next panel became an overview of my Notting Hill Carnival work.

7x Black Box Frames w/ Giclee prints and Ivorine Title Plaques

The final panel has direct reference to Brighton itself and one of it's most famous residents Nick Cave. Ronke had met Nick on several occasions and my portraits of Nick and Kylie and an additional Studio session I shot with Nick were summoned for the wall.

This became the most technically intricate installation work I had ever attempted.

Work Bench for Image Transfers to the frames

Two of the frames have image transfers of a picture I took of the Ceiling of the Taj Mahal

Nick & Kylie Box Construction

Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue 'Where the Wild Roses Grow' Nine Giclee Prints mounted on Black Velvet in an Image Transfer Box Frame with a Distressed Mirror and Ivorine Name Plaque