Community and Fraternity
This short exhibition is a culmination of 3 years work exploring aspects of masculinity and its place in modern society, with specific reference to Amateur boxing in Torbay, which Chris has been documenting since 1997 amassing a huge archive of photographs and video.
‘At the age of 18 I first walked through the heavy metal door of the Apollo Amateur Boxing Club in Barton, Torquay, like many others there I was missing something in my life and desperately needed some stability. The building was basic, there was no heating and when it rained the roof leaked, but it had a charm and a safety that warms me to this day.
I have maintained a connection to the club and the sport both as a competitor and through the lens of a camera as a photographer. Being a combatant allowed me the close access of an insider.’
‘The Club’ features selected works from an archive from the last 25 years as a photographer of the Boxing club and Boxing in the local area. During the past year Buzz has reconnected with those associated with the Apollo club by capturing a set of environmental portraits that will be featured at the show. One former fighter remarked to him after a shoot ‘Thank you for remembering me’. Often that need to be remembered is a powerful force and Buzz’s intention with the exhibition has been to help to preserve a legacy.
‘This is our story, it may seem brash and bloody in places, but scratch the surface and there exists a community and a fraternity that has extended far beyond the confines of a boxing ring.’
Buzz Matthews is a lecturer in Filmmaking and Photography at UCSD University Centre South Devon (South Devon College) and has just completed a Photography MA in Photography at Falmouth University.
Exhibiting Artists
