James Bellorini

James is a freelance photographic artist based in Brighton (UK) and Europe. He has worked for advertising and design agencies, arts and entertainment brands, and food companies. His work has been published globally and exhibited at the V&A, Home (Manchester), Hull International Photography Festival, and for Landings 2020. In 2020 he completed his Master’s Degree in Photography through Falmouth University. His personal practice looks at the intersection of heritage, cultural symbols, and the experience of the ‘Other’ in contemporary society.

Manna – Food, identity, & belonging

Food is so much more than just what we eat. It is a potent presence in our lives with an innate power to invoke emotions, memories, and all manner of sensations. This project explores the sensuous, evocative power of food as a cultural artifact and symbol of personal belonging in people of mixed heritage. By combining intimate portraits with still-life elements and interpreting them through narrative sequences and micro-stories, the project expresses the sensuality and pleasure found in food and the ways in which it helps in underlining a sense of belonging, especially in a time of profound societal change. Although the themes of the project touch on the necessary issues of race and diversity, the process of making Manna highlighted the importance of the hospitality and joy that food offers, and the work celebrates this. These powerful characteristics are clearly important in reinforcing identity and I wanted to capture the sensuous pleasures inherent here and the powerful emotions and sense of identity they arouse in individuals. In the end, this became a guiding force in the creation of this body of work. The work submitted here was created in 2020 as part of my MA in Photography final project and is the start of a longer-term body of work.

To view more of James’s work please visit their website.