Adopting something akin to the passport photograph harbours a sense of heightening individual identity.  For the purposes of the show I wanted to subvert this image by creating  large-scale photorealistic portraits.  Using photorealism acted as a way into the concept as it has roots in  traditional notions of painting and translates easier to a wider audience.  I also used the opportunity to install my studio into the exhibition space allowing visitors to see the creation of the work for the duration of the show.  The element of participation was a huge success as a large number of the participants visited the show thus achieving one of my fundamental objectives. The concept of capturing, in one single afternoon a representation of a modern urban community proved deeply compelling. This was a unique experiment into modern portraiture and attempt to embrace and celebrate an entire community. ​ The show was a huge success with over 1,200 visitors in the 24 days it was open. ​ Many thanks to Yorkshire Artspace and photographer Chris Saunders