Fiona Willoughby ARPS

This Documentary panel was submitted for an Associate Distinction on the 12th December 2020

Appleby HorseFair

I have always been captivated by gypsies and their culture. During the last 5 years I have worked on a personal project building up a body of work on the gypsies annual gathering at Appleby Horse Fair. Starting tentatively and building an affinity allowed me to capture some more honest photographs at Appleby Horse Fair.

I began wanting my panel to record the “old guard” gypsies in their travelling wagons pulled by coloured horses, and their horse trading at the fair. But as I learned more and gained understanding of the people, I felt it important to capture the younger generation too; their “rite” to attend the fair.

I explored their connection to their culture, their close knit community, their pride and their arrogance – I have found that all generations have a strong bond to the horse and many preserve the Romany characteristic of being free spirits.

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