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Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)

First French Visa

October 15, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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October 1993

Early October 1993, London

I have written only “October 1993 French Visa Photo” on the back of this image.  In reality it must have been taken in September as my visa was dated from late that month.  Moana was still in Guatemala and as always, was a brilliant correspondent. I spent a lot of time with Helen White and was also in contact with some friends, Doug and Jay, who Moana and I had met in Guatemala. I was back to making and selling my hand made greeting cards and worked at Liberty up until two days before my departure by coach for Annecy.

Getting Enrolled

October 14, 2011
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September 1993

Early September 1993, London

By the time this photo was taken I had decided to enrol to study French at the Institut Savoisien D’Études Français, a Department of the University of Savoy, in Annecy.  The institute was for foreigners to learn French and starts from the beginner level.  It was quite a surprise therefore, to find all the application forms and information about accommodation were solely written in French.  I was extremely grateful to Del Holbrook for her French language skills, as the project wouldn’t have moved passed the enquiry stage without her help. I had less than a month left in London before the course started.  I remember being very nervous as it was the first time I had gone anywhere on my own without the prospect of meeting up with friends on arrival.

Liberty Again

October 13, 2011
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August 1993

August 1993, London

While away, I decided that I would definitely give up my place on the museum studies course in London.  Meeting an American, who spoke fluent French, at our language school in Antigua, made me reconsider past ambitions to learn to speak French. Back in London I reapplied to Liberty for a few months work, while deciding where to go to study in France.

This is a picture taken for my second identity card for Liberty of London.

A Visitor and Another Journey

October 10, 2011
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Liarne and Kate 1993

July 1993, Spain

I left Guatemala and returned to London early in July.  Within days of my arrival back at my Holbrook haven, I had news from a friend in Australia, Liarne Corke, that she would soon be in the UK. A few days after her arrival in London, we bought cheap flights to Spain, hired a car and explored the southern coast for a week. Liarne and I had met as a result of sharing the same ex-boyfriend.  Our beloved Ricky-TP has the unusual trait of staying friends with every girl he has ever gone out with. We are both still good friends and Rick, too is still a very important person in both our lives.

This photo was taken in a photobooth that was on a back street, near the edge of a steep decline, in front of a row of homes.  We were in Arcos de la Frontera in Spain.  It is the only time I have managed to get Liarne into a booth, so far. It was also the first time, in adulthood, that I had been photographed in a booth with someone else. It has also turned out to be the earliest uncut strip in my collection.  All in all, a very special strip of photos.

Guatemalan Visa Panic

October 5, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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14 January 1993

January 1993, London

Moana and I had decided to start our journey in Guatemala.  We hoped to do Spanish lessons in Antigua before heading off to explore the region.  In the months leading up to our departure there was something nagging at the back of my mind, that I chose to ignore until my last day in the UK. Moana and I had organised our tickets through an agency that also researched whether we needed any visas for our trip.  Well, they said they had looked into it.  Despite them knowing I was travelling on an Australian passport they had failed to check entry requirements for my nationality and I, stupidly, had also failed to check.

Del Holbrook had organised a lovely farewell lunch for Moana and I, to which Helen White had been invited.  After Helen arrived, something she said made me realise what my nagging concern actually was – did I really NOT need a visa? I was encouraged by all to make a phone call to check, the result of which was an abrupt departure without my lunch, a quick set of identity snaps in a photobooth at Victoria Station and an emergency interview at the Guatemalan Embassy to get the visa I should have organised weeks earlier.

Saving and Working

October 3, 2011
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September 1992

September 1992, London

When this was taken, again in London, I was very busy with my three part-time jobs and still very much looking forward to my Central American adventure.  I must have taken this for a reason, as is the case with most of the previous photos I have posted.  The fact that there is only one left of the strip, confirms this, though I have no recollection of the use that was made of the others.  I was not yet in the full swing of collecting and taking photos just for fun. That frenzy was yet to come as will be seen in future posts…

An Opportunity at the Tate

October 2, 2011
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16 July 1992

16 July 1992 No.2

July 1992, London

Whilst in my final months at the Crafts Council in Melbourne, I was lucky enough to be involved in organising a national craft-prize exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. I enjoyed the experience so much that I started to consider the possibility of doing a course to further my qualifications and job prospects.  Once I realised I had more time in London than previously envisaged, I applied to the Tate Gallery, now known as Tate Britain, as a volunteer in the Registrar’s Department. I worked there 2 days per week for 5 months, concurrent with my job at Liberty.  I also applied for a position and was accepted to study for a Museum Studies diploma at the University of London for the 1993 academic year.

Although working at the Tate was a great experience where I had opportunities to get my hands on some extraordinary art works, visit St James Palace, (which is not open to the public) and delve into the sketch book archives of J.M.W. Turner, my time there made me reconsider whether I would enjoy a career in that field.  Still undecided close to my departure from the UK, I thought I’d keep my place on the course until I returned from my trip to Central America, in case I had second thoughts.

The photobooth pictures above were taken at Pimlico tube station near the Tate Gallery.

Loving Liberty

October 1, 2011
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June 1992 London

Liberty of London Identity Card

June 1992, London

Prior to heading off to Central America, I had arranged to meet Moana in England, where she had been working for the previous 2 years. I was also very keen to catch up with the Holbrooks and the many friends I had made on my last visit to London.  What was supposed to be a one month visit, turned into 9 months by mutual agreement with Moana. Rather than eat into my savings, I decided to earn some money to support myself and make the most of what that wonderful city has to offer.

I started to sell my hand made cards around town. Among the numerous stores I successfully approached was Liberty in Regent Street.  I made three ranges of cards exclusively for them.  On one visit to deliver an order, I discovered they were looking for casual staff for a sale period, so made a successful application. After working as a temp for one month, I was offered a two day per week permanent part time position.

As you can see the booth photo was taken for my id-card for my temp job.

International Driving

September 29, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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Rejected for International Driver's License

License, January 1992

January 1992, Melbourne

In January 1992 I had almost finished my two year contract at the Crafts Council and was preparing for my next trip.  I had done some driving lessons whilst living in London but failed my test as I was unable to reverse around a corner!  After about one month at my job as Promotions Officer I was told that part of my responsibilities was to visit regional centres to offer our support to their craft guilds.  I asked how I would get there when told I would be heading to a region with no public transport.  When they realised I had no drivers license and realised that they had not ascertained that fact at the interview, (it was not a prerequisite of the job and they didn’t ask), they also realised they were stuck with me.  They reluctantly paid for my driving lessons, some of which I did in their Toyota Hilux van.  Thus, on my next trip away from home, keen and excited to be a driver, I thought I might need an international license.  As it turned out it would be many years before I had the opportunity to drive outside Australia.

The first picture, I rejected, the second I found better, though why I found the nasty green tee-shirt acceptable for either photo is beyond me.  It is a measure of how easily one could find a photobooth in those days that I was able to get to two very different machines, within walking distance, on the same afternoon.

Dreaming of Future Journeys

September 28, 2011
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May 1991

Passport 1991

May 1991, Melbourne

Less than a year and a half back home and I was already planning another overseas adventure.  I had kept in touch with Moana, who had suggested we might go to Central America to study Spanish and continue our Latin American explorations.  I didn’t hesitate to accept the invitation. When this picture was taken I was living in Buckingham Street in Richmond with Sarah, a newly qualified solicitor and vibrant, bon vivant.  I spent many an hour monopolising the study in her house while developing and making new designs for my hobby greeting card business.

This May 1991 booth pic was for my passport in anticipation of the next journey.  Could my lipstick get any more intense?