Ean Flanders is a Liverpool-based portrait photographer originally from London. He is a qualified member of the British Institute of Professional Photography (ABIPP) and the Royal Photographic Society (ARPS) both at Associate level.
The primary focus of his work is exploring and expressing themes related to social injustice especially those who have been marginalised. The racial imbalances that continue to affect people from the African Diaspora can be highlighted through his social documentary portraiture. He is inspired by ceaseless adaptability and how the essence of our being always creates something out of anything.
The ‘Descendants’ Exhibition
The Descendants, the first major exhibition by Ean Flanders, is the culmination of a four year project photographing people with links to Liverpool who are high achievers in their respective spheres. Some are well-known, others renowned within their field, but all are of African Diaspora heritage, as is Ean.
Liverpool’s role as a key port for the Transatlantic Slave Trade fuelled rapid growth during the 1700s and into the 1800s, shaping it towards the city we know today. It’s no coincidence that Liverpool has the UK’s longest established Black community dating back to the 1730s, with people arriving here from Africa and the Caribbean as sailors, servants, as free individuals or enslaved. The Windrush Generation, arriving in the post-war years from Caribbean countries to help rebuild Britain, greatly bolstered Liverpool’s Black community. Ean’s project pays tribute to The Descendants of Africa diaspora heritage: who they are, their achievements and their lived histories.
The Descendants exhibition is produced and presented by Victoria Gallery & Museum in Liverpool, and open to the public 28 January – 13 May 2023.