Jim Grover is an award-winning photographer based in South London who has used the Clapham High Street institution, Cafe Delight, and its regulars as the subject of a social documentary in his latest photo-essay.
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The exhibition is made up of 40 photographs which explore two themes, the first observes daily Cafe life, the second features portraits of the owners (Izzy and Mehtap) and their regulars. All the photos will be on display in the Cafe itself to celebrate its 21st anniversary until 31st October.
The Cafe has been beacon of continuity on the local high street since 1996, offering a warm welcome, English breakfasts and Sunday roasts ever since despite the presence of challenged traders, ubiquitous coffee shops and high street chain stores.
Jim Grover has captured the essence of Cafe Delight in its patrons, some of which have been coming since its opening 21 years ago. There is a wonderfully broad spectrum of regulars: a stand-up comic and a chain-saw wood sculptor rub shoulders with local builders, shop workers, and members of a local club for the deaf - - amongst many others.
Some people come for company, others come to eat and to pass the time alone, reading the paper, picking horses, or watching the world go by through the café’s large glass windows.
Grover adds: "This is not simply a café, with all of the traditional features you’d expect: great food, never-ending mugs of tea, friendly service and spotlessly clean tables. It’s also a community - - offering company, familiarity and security for those regulars who have made Café Delight part of their daily ritual. That made it a fascinating subject to capture and an obvious next project for me.”
About the photographer
Jim Grover's images have appeared in numerous publications and been recognized in various competitions, including the Sony World Photography Awards. In 2015 he won the ‘Faith through a Lens’ competition; the judging panel was chaired by the internationally renowned photographer, Sir Don McCullin CBE.
His solo photo-essay, ‘Of Things Not Seen’, which portrayed a year in the life of a South London priest, is being exhibited in various locations in the UK in 2017 (including at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival), following its launch exhibition on London’s South Bank in 2016.
Exhibition details: Café Delight, 19 Clapham High Street, London, SW4 7TS; Thursday 14th September – Tuesday 31st October, 2017. Admission: free
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