Caitlin Chescoe

Caitlin Chescoe is a British portrait and documentary photographer based in London. Her photography is centred around the theme of community, in which she is most interested in exploring and sharing the stories of everyday individuals and celebrating the ordinary. The narrative of Chescoe’s work is often formed through the connection to her heritage, mixing her own work with archival imagery to develop a number of long and short term projects. Chescoe holds a BA (Hons) degree in photography from the Arts University Bournemouth and her work has been exhibited throughout the UK, including at Brighton Photo Fringe festival.

Chescoe’s long term project, titled Freemasonry, looks at the famous fraternal organisation that has been around for over 300 years. Inspired by her own connection to Freemasonry – her great-grandfather, grandfather, and father have all been Freemasons – she has created a series composed of portraits and still life and archival imagery that delves into what it means to be a part of the historical group. She has also incorporated testimonies from various men and women that she has met on her journey in the hopes of seeing the experience from different perspectives. The series aims to engage with various questions that many of us have about the organisation’s modern existence. What is its relevance in today’s society? Who can join? Why is it so secret?