On 3^rd and 5^th February 2011, X Presents staged Brixton Photo Booth – a contemporary restaging of Harry Jacobs’ famous photographic studio. Throughout the 1950s, Jacobs took a series of photographs of newly arrived immigrants living in South London, capturing a unique moment in British history, the advent of multiculturalism. To celebrate the importance of Jacobs’ documentary work to London’s history, X Presents recreated a studio in Brixton Village Market, inviting the local community to be photographed for an online archive. Our idea was to reflect how communication has evolved since Jacobs’ time. Jacobs’ photographs were often turned into postcards for families to send home to signify to their relatives that they had ‘made it’ in London. With our photographs being available online, the sitters are able to have as many copies of professional looking photographs as they like and to email them to friends and relatives.

The photographs will be displayed at Brixton Library from Friday 11th - Monday 14th February. Following this exhibition at the library, the photographs will be donated to Lambeth Archives to create a permanent record of the event.

X Presents would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you for all of those involved in the project and a special thank you for those who agreed to pose for our studio. We hope you enjoy the photographs. If you would like to request a copy or find out more information, please email

brixtonphotobooth@gmail.com

This project has been generously supported by:

Ideas Tap

Brickbox – arts and culture venue in Brixton Village Market