Gambia Doors – the (ongoing) series. Photography by Helen Jones-Florio. Prints available to purchase at helenjonesflorio.com online gallery.
I have been working on this particular series – #GambiaDoors – for many years. The vividly coloured, unintentionally quirky doors and storefronts from the West African country of The Gambia never fail to grab my attention. My husband, Florio, is now well-versed in my random, oft-shouted, ‘Stop!’ in his ear while we are zooming around on the motorcycle. In fact, he now engages in a little door spotting on my behalf. Conversely, over the years, I have also managed to startle several unsuspecting local taxi drivers.
“But why do you want to photo my shop?”
“But why do you want to photo my shop?”, is the question most frequently asked of me from baffled shopkeepers. After 20 plus years of living and working in the region, what may be considered quotidian to many of those shopkeepers, continues to be striking and wondrous to me. Enough to ‘stop!’ me in my tracks (or put the breaks on).
Something is captivating about the misspelled, hand-painted, English-as-we-don’t-know-it, signage – the vivid and the faded paintwork, alike. Barbershops and beauty salons signs are a particular favourite. Ultimately, they make me smile.
#GambiaDoors
@doors_helenjonesflorio
All of the #GambiaDoors images are available to purchase as photography prints, from our online gallery
helenjonesflorio.com online gallery
Contact the Gallery
See more of the series @doors_helenjonesflorio and the helenjonesflorio.com gallery site.
Feel free to contact me here if you have any questions, or use the Contact Form on the gallery website.
#GambiaDoors & #DisappearingMalta
PHOTOS TELL STORIES - documentary | filmmaking | photography | people | travel 