‘A map of red-hair distribution circulating the Internet depicts two ginger hot-spots in Scotland and in Russia. Using this as a starting point, Dodds created portraits of gingers in two cities at almost identical latitudes but separated by hundreds of miles – Inverness in Scotland and Perm in Russia.

‘Visually the portraits reference a rich seam of red-haired portraiture in art history that fills the world’s museums but the collection uses the trait to unify people across cultural, political and geographic boundaries. The prints are displayed without traditional framing to reflect this openness and connectivity.

‘Participants claimed European, Middle Eastern and even Chinese heritage showing the ebb and flow of human migration through centuries and questioning normal assumptions of what contributes to a specific national identity. Names and locations are withheld to allow the viewer to find commonalities while also revealing how our personal prejudices and assumptions inform what we see.’

Gingers
8-30th September 2017
Inverness Museum and Art Gallery
Printed by the Highland Print Studio
For the Flow Photography Festival 

In 2020, I published a book featuring these Gingers portraits. Read more about it and order copies here. The full selection of images can also be seen on Panos.