Stoned In Melanchol

Over the past few years, I’ve been building a body of work which documents Northern Ireland’s youth against a hazy urban backdrop. My series ‘Stoned in Melanchol’ was born from an insatiable hunger for a world beyond the monotony of small-town life.


I began making photographs as a way of projecting the cinematic world in my head on to the landscape before me, thereby creating a means in which I could live vicariously through my work.


Whilst the series began as a form of escapism, the photographs and their threads of narrative developed into a much broader and on-going story; ‘Stoned in Melanchol’ delves into ideas of subculture and identity, the exploration of isolation as well as the solace in unity, and ultimately, the search for the beauty in the mundane.



The work became a documentation of the people growing up in my hometown Derry, and explores a much more contemporary and progressive narrative, as opposed to the narrative usually associated with Derry — the Troubles, Bloody Sunday, sectarianism and violence. 


Whilst most of my generation have progressed beyond the history of our hometown, sectarianism, racism, homophobia, and barriers still exist in Northern Ireland, which is why I’m proposing a new project which aims to document and explore the vibrant culture here which isn’t focused on too often. I want to move beyond ‘Stoned in Melanchol’ which documented a small and intimate circle of friends, and progress into photographing our drag scene, our sex workers, our BIPOC and LGBTQ+ community; a generation who are representatives of a much more forward-thinking and productive society. 


I have every intention of approaching the project with the same aesthetic and the same level of intimacy and respect. My friends within these circles speak about their hardships and struggles, and I want to offer them a voice through my photography, rather than approach it as a voyeur. I will essentially frame these individuals as the main characters within their own story, documenting the highs as well as the lows.



The images submitted are a combination of photographs from Stoned In Melanchol as well as recent work.