When Christopher Anderson’s first child was born in 2008, he documented the experience as a father first rather than a photographer. While he assumed initially that these images were secondary to his work as an image-maker, it would occur to him later that they were in fact his most significant work, and that everything he had done up to that point had been preparation. The images would eventually culminate in the book, SON, published in 2012. Aside from the arrival of Anderson’s son, the book captures a cultural landscape following 9/11 and the economic crash.
The spiritual sequel to that book, Pia takes as its subject Anderson’s second child. Featuring tender portraits of his newly-arrived daughter, this time the book tells of a search for hope in the era of Trump and Covid.
Speaking of the work, Anderson says: “The images portray a father-daughter relationship as well as a photographer-subject collaboration as Pia takes control of her character. The passage of time comes with a certain melancholy, but also a declaration of hope that guides the photographs.”
