DRUM: Portrait of a Village – Kevin Fox

Over the past year Derry~Londonderry photographer Kevin Fox has worked with the people of Drum to create a unique photographic portrait of this County Monaghan village. A sustained process of engagement and dialogue with local people and community leaders has informed the development of the work. Adopting this slow and reflective approach has enabled the artist to go beyond surface representations to reveal a nuanced, authentic portrayal of the village. Fox’s evocative photographs reflect the resilience of the people and capture the pastoral beauty of Drum’s undulating drumlins and lakes.

Kevin Fox is currently recording a series of filmed interviews which give voice to the strong sense of history and cultural identity of the largely Protestant and Presbyterian village of Drum. They highlight the ways in which the community is meeting the social and economic challenges facing small towns and villages across Ireland today. The project has also built a new digital archive of local people’s photographs, selected from their own family photo albums. The archive preserves the rich social history of Drum for future generations and enables these authentic representations of life in the village to be shared across the globe.

Collectively, the new archive, Fox’s contemporary portraits and his filmed interviews combine to give a unique insight into the village of Drum – past and present.

In partnership with Gallery of Photography Ireland.