Henry Gorse’s new book aptly asks, Who the Fuck is Henry Gorse?!

Since we last caught up with Henry Gorse, the British photographer has found his enigmatic, surrealist style harbours a broader reach than he originally thought. Moving beyond portraiture and fashion into an entirely new, collaborative way of working, Henry has shaped his practice around community-based projects, such as his Grange Farm Book, looking to make the medium more accessible by teaching young people the craft in hand. “I like to blend different photographic styles to echo the same ethos,” he continues, looking to approach his still life work in the same way he tackles documentary and fashion photography. “This is why making this was book important: to demonstrate that everything is connected, with intentional chaos, but with a balance that makes it all come together.”

The book in question is Who the Fuck is Henry Gorse?!, a wild, 400-page collection of Gorse’s personal work – both asking and answering its namesake title – designed in collaboration with British graphic designers Alfie Allen and Max Marshall. “I think it’s very ‘me’ – a disregard for the rules,” Henry summarises, “the ‘Gorse world’ has been created, and now, hopefully, it will end up in your hands.” The notion of a world for Henry’s work to inhabit is undeniably apt, especially when looking at his photography as a body of work. Inescapably in the context and opposition of contemporary culture, Henry’s work is odd and at odds with the world around it, challenging genre, quality, discipline, point and purpose. 

“I allow myself to be limited and play with clichés and ‘don’t do’s’ that already put me on the back foot,” Henry says, discussing the ineffably precise balance he captures between absurdity and technical accuracy, “but where one variable may be risky, another brings it back,” be that props, lighting, model or even camera choice. “It’s about blending these elements until the balance feels right,” he adds, creating scenes and, ultimately, forming a practice that exists at the intersection between this approach and his interests. 

Previously, Henry has described his practice as a commentary on the consumption-driven excess of contemporary culture, which Who the Fuck is Henry Gorse?! perfectly encapsulates. “More is more, baby!” Henry proclaims, “it certainly feels like this is how we make images now, focused on fast content and maximising product and brand collaborations,” creating a sense of vibrant exasperation that Henry manages to encapsulate. “I think the ongoing question mark throughout sums up my journey well and gives the book its own visual trademark,” he explains, “a lot of the work screams, ‘Why? What? How?!’,” to which Henry credits Alfie and Max for translating into the book’s design.

The structure of Who the Fuck is Henry Gorse?! is appropriately chaptered by unique question marks, each pondering a realisation Henry made on being a photographer, alongside his irreverent imagery, serving as an autobiographical deep dive into Henry’s decade-expanding photographic career. Turning to the specifics of the book’s design, Henry adds, “my highlights include an aura energy reading I did in person, a lighting snakes and ladders game, and the Gorse essential kit breakdown,” not to mention an artistic integrity deconstruction. “The book has definitely stayed true to this approach,” Henry details, contextualising the publication and his career up until this point. “I feel like I’ve really nailed down my style now, and it has evolved naturally, still embracing its core essentials: energy, colour, and spontaneous twists and turns.”

From his 18-year-old self experimenting to his equally unconventional but seasoned professional self, Henry’s career seems to be an exercise in maturation without creative compromise. “I see two sides to my photography,” he explains, “the bare-bones approach of making anything happen on the spot, being restricted but using that to create something interesting, and the more well-thought-out concepts,” having confidence in the intelligence of the concepts behind them, and the self-assurance to make work your way. 

To that end, when asked what he’d like others to take away from Who the Fuck is Henry Gorse?!, Henry concludes: “Make pictures that you love and have a great time doing it.”

Who the Fuck is Henry Gorse?! is out now via his website.