PRESENCE V

The PRESENCE photographs were taken in the then predominately African-Caribbean communities of Moss Side, Rusholme, Hulme & Longsight, Manchester and represent Cooper's first attempt at exploring social documentary. It was Cooper's explicit intention to produce a series of powerful images that captured the post-colonial experiences of African-Caribbean immigrants in Thatcherite Britain. Aside from taking and then making the photographs, Cooper also took it upon himself and produced a series of stereophonic audio recordings of events unfolding. All works produced during the PRESENCE residency are now housed at The Greater Manchester County Records Office for future reference.

The PRESENCE monograph is divided into three sections: The Robin Hood Pub, The Bethel United Church of Jesus Christ & Youth. The opening sequence concentrates on day to day events taking place within the pub as they have always been doing for countless years without change. A midmorning card game slips by to a lilting reggae beat into an afternoon of volatile dominoes played for pennies. Life outside, casually observed through ornate stained glass windows tinged acrid yellow with the last drifting whiffs of stale tobacco smoke, carries on regardless. Doing what merciless time has and will always do, progress. Leaving the Robin Hood pub and the lives of all the unemployed middle-aged patrons seeking refuge and solace in there far, far behind.

By direct contrast, an unshakable belief in the ever-lasting power of almighty God pervades the Church section as proud and dignified Christian Sunday worshipers testify through chapter and the verse. Cleanliness is next to Godliness with a strict emphasis placed firmly on obeying the scripture in all its resounding and triumphant glory as preached by the most venerable, the most worthy Bishop Pastor Miller.

Painful feelings of loss, regret and deep sorrow haunt the words now of an older generation in the closing youth section. A generation from an entirely different era-the forties & fifties-left feeling alienated from their once beloved children and grandchildren. This new-in their eyes-lost generation, have grown cold and heartless: so removed from the familiar pattern and ways of being in better off, more secure and peaceful times of their own idyllic childhood in the Caribbean.

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