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Keeper of the Hearth
What is there left to say about Camera Lucida? This is the primary question tackled by artist Odette England in her latest project, a photobook titled Keeper of the Hearth, published by Schilt Publishing. Camera Lucida, the infamous essay published by Roland Barthes in 1980, is considered a seminal text amongst photography specialists and enthusiasts the world over. It's a perplexing, revolutionary and frustrating piece of writing; a living, breathing work that reveals something entirely different each time it is returned to, providing new insights and interpretations through the unique perspective of each of its readers.
In 2017, after years of interacting with Barthes' essay, England turned to it once more. This time, she happened upon two new discoveries: the realisation that Camera Lucida would soon be turning 40 years old, and the mysterious non-presence of what has come to be known as the Winter Garden Photograph, a photograph of Barthes' mother that he encountered after her death. The writer describes the object at length throughout his text in a congregation of descriptions and emotions. However, we never actually see it - it is only presented...