From memory, my first interaction with Chloe was a semi conscious phone call above a Brazilian waxing parlour in Brick Lane after drinking with Richard Bram at Street London. I was meant to be going to a rave in Essex with two Hungarian girls. But as fate has it…
Hey Chloe, could you just introduce yourself for those who don’t know who you are?
Math thank you for having me : ) I’m Chloe Juno and I’ve been working with documentary photographers for 15 years. I work independently with photographers as a creative consultant and for the last 5 years I’ve been creating my own work. I have directed and curated @documentingbritain on Instagram for the past 5 years and also featured work on @elephantguncollective I've also been photographing and sharing other people’s rubbish found in Brighton over on my instagram account.
How did you get involved with photography and what's your involvement been?
I left school with zero qualifications and spent some time working as a hairdresser and spending the weekends at all night raves, but I really wanted to do something creative and go to university. I found a media course and photography was a module. I was hooked, I loved it.
I love exploring, talking to people, and entering other people's worlds. The camera allowed me to do this. I’m dyslexic so it was a relief to find something that I felt so at ease with. I then went on to study media production, after that I worked in community photographic dark rooms and studio’s teaching documentary photography whilst working as a social history photographer for museums. Then I became a photo editor for international news agencies, places like Reuters and small independent photo agencies.
Let’s talk about the two projects I know you best for which is your involvement with Documenting Britain and your amazing project “Someone’s Rubbish. Firstly can you explain to those that don’t know what Documenting Britain is about, your role in it, and how you got involved? Starting with Documenting Britain...
I direct and curate Documenting Britain on Instagram, it features documentary photography/street photography looking at life in the now. I try to make sure to present work by photographers from all walks of life and backgrounds. You don't have to be famous to be featured, just have engaging work. There are so many people out there making good work with no formal training, but just a passion to record the everyday. It was first set up as a creative archive where a group of 30 artists submitted to a website. At the moment Doc Brit lives on Instagram, we will be creating something printed outside of Instagram. I get to work with documentary photographers, seeing the submissions and spending time with them editing and viewing all the different ways photographers approach storytelling.
I have always loved stories about real life and felt frustrated by the lack of representation of the everyday in publications, for years in the mainstream we have only really had fashion magazines, constructed news to suit political agendas, and shitty red top mags full of celebrity brain drain stories available to us on newsstands. Documenting Britain's aim is to keep sharing real life!
And then your amazing “Rubbish” Photography?
Thank you for saying ‘Someone's Rubbish’ is amazing Math, and for following the rubbish pile over the years. I'm really addicted to it! It feels amazing looking at the photos I have collected up. I've been taking photos of Rubbish on the streets of Brighton for 5 years. The things we need to use for play, work, education, health, beauty, food, sex, love, drugs, debts, money, bills, general domestic life.
People have said it’s like a street museum and I agree, lots of the things I find and photograph I have used or relate to in some way, things that tell some kind of story. My mind works overtime when I spot stuff, imagining the person who used the rubbish and what their life was like, or how rubbish represents the things we all do. It's like I am creating a giant jigsaw. It’s been weird with the pandemic exploring the streets trying to find rubbish, less people less mess.
Do you remember how and why you started taking photos of rubbish, and what was your first “rubbish” photo?
I do and I can remember one of the first photos I took of a dog's ball. It was the first time I went really close to rubbish, I was attracted to all the detail the chew marks! I thought about the fun the dog and owner would have had with the ball, also how weird the distressed rubber looked. Also an overused toothbrush, it looked like some frantic brushing had taken place. I shared on Instagram and people made similar comments matching my thoughts, I started to look for more small things on the floor, everyday rubbish everywhere, I have to look extra hard for small things or things that I think add to the jigsaw and link into other objects I have photographed.
How do you approach it, do you just walk about and stare at the floor?
The rubbish is a mix of finds on my travels and climbing over and under walls, through alleyways to find stuff. When I started taking the ‘Someone’s Rubbish” photos I also had money issues changing jobs etc, I had sold a camera and was feeling frustrated that I could not take photos, I had just got a new iphone 4 and I was having fun using the camera and it fitted in with my everyday life stuff. Now this will sound a bit mad but Brighton and Hove buses had a campaign in 2015 ‘ Your phone is your ticket’ I kept seeing it in town after taking photos and it kind of stuck in my mind like a message not to worry about the tool / camera just make work with what you have to hand. I was getting a buzzy creative feeling when taking the photos and the iphone got me really close awkward angles etc. So I followed that feeling for the last 5 years everyday.
Have you ever thought about the connection between consumerism and a “throw-away society” ?
I have thought about consumerism, it’s blatantly in my face when out and about looking for the things people use then chuck out, we do live in a throw away society. I love finding things that are really old like a 1980s hoover or cassette player which has possibly been kept and used for years. Made to last and then it's out on its ear!
Whats the plans for the project?
The plan is to make a book, there was an exhibition planned for 2020 but 2021 now!
One last thing, it's mad how the rubbish is like a microcosm of what's going on in the world?
I agree, if you look over the rubbish you can see political things like Brexit elections leaflets, racism stickers, protest banners, Christmas, birthdays, etc.
Okay I’ll leave you alone now, thank you Chloe Juno!
Oh yea, you can see Chloe’s work at… https://www.instagram.com/chloejuno/
