For his series Shut In Shut Out Robert Ashby photographed the large, blank gates that have been installed at high value single-family residential properties, as a powerful visual metaphor for the increasing separation of people in our communities.
Both economically and physically, these large high security gates are a statement of being not just financially successful and having a way of life that needs protection and privacy, but also of not being a part of what is happening elsewhere in our society; independent and unaffected, indeed uninfected, by it. The images featured were made in Nottingham, Brighton and Bexhill and the series has also been made into a limited edition hand bound artist’s photobook, including a poem by Henry Normal entitled “How to Make an Underclass” on the phraseology of separation in society. I shall be continuing to make images in the outer fringes of urban conurbations, where the wealthy get more space beyond the semi-detached suburbs, but within easy reach of the city centre. Generally I find these areas by looking for expensive properties on the Rightmove property sale website, and then looking at the areas identified on Google streetview.
Since 1995 Robert Ashby has combined his work in high-tech startup businesses with the development of his own photographic practice which addresses human, social and cultural issues. He has been director of Hereford Photography Festival for three years, as well as a curator and writer on photography.