Ollie Ma’ is a British photographer who has studied at Nottingham Trent University. Having grown up in a small British town, and with a background in photographing young musicians, his practice tends to comment on the contemporary issues that disproportionately affect young people. Ma’ achieves this by borrowing from the theatrical conventions of epic theatre in order to stage the everyday, in an attempt to uncover the hidden intricacies that relate to the structures of reality.
This has led to projects that have explored youth disaffection in small British towns, questioned the relationship between reality and simulation, and searched for a utopian alternative to the systems of capital that structure our society today. These projects have been exhibited internationally, most notably as part of Future Late at London’s Tate Modern (2016), as part of Airplane Mode: 01 during Miami Art Week (2016), and as part of the EU project The People’s Smart Sculpture in Kristianstad, Sweden (2017). In addition, he has had work featured by The Creator’s Project, Trip Magazine, Kill Screen, and SPOON Magazine.
Everything Was Forever
When the factors of production are privately owned, progress tends not to be in the interest of the majority. Instead, the market determines where investment is made, and innovation, as measured by the human conquest over nature, is sought purely to drive consumption. This process deepens the disparity between those who must sell their time in order to survive, and the minority that has accumulated enough wealth to benefit from the labour of others.
In search of a utopian alternative, Everything Was Forever explores the conflicts and contradictions that are present within a society that is structured by systems of capital.
To view more of Ollie’s work please visit his website.