Representation, illustration, reportage – such are the camera’s givens. Not so often, however, the kind of investigation which is at the heart of John MacLean’s photographic practice. With an educational background in Maths, Physics and Geology each of his projects are inspired by a specific question, which he then explores through the trial and error of making photographs. Each question – (geo)graphical, cultural, political, technical – is chosen for its potential to condense his own views into images, to untangle and acknowledge his artistic influences, and to explore the assets and limitations of a treacherous medium.

Project list:

City: Can a city be created that only exists in photographs? Could it say something about its creator’s worldview?

Two and Two: If photographers are defined by the way they make decisions, how conscious are they of that process?

A to B: What happens as photographs become increasingly abstract? What is the subject-matter of a photograph that has no identifiable object-matter?

Neighbourhood: Can a limitation be a positive influence on a body of work?

Colour Color: How are colours (and photographs themselves) influenced by context?

Third Image: In photography, is the accidental as important as the intentional?

John has been a freelance photographer since 1998, using commercial, architectural commissions to support an independent, fine-art practice. His most recent exhibition (Two and Two) was a solo show at Flowers Gallery, London. John’s work has appeared widely in books and periodicals and he has self-published seven photo-books. These are held in the National Art Archive at The Victoria and Albert Museum and in private collections around the world.