90s Archive : Volume One

90s Archive: Volume One is a tribute to the 10×8 print and a showcase of work produced in London in 1996 and 1998.
10×8 and a showcase of work produced in London in 1996 and 1998. Indeed, Vallée’s discovery of a box of 10×8 prints in his studio, which he printed in the ’90s, triggered the idea for this new series of photo books, the first installment of which brings together studied color and black-and-white portraits of friends from the Cass art school and the indie and alternative queer club scene. Most subjects are photographed in their own homes, including Vallée’s vibrant yet dilapidated student house in East London from his art school days. However, one series captures Vallée’s friend Cal in the distinctive setting of London’s Soho, with the iconic Raymond Revuebar in the distance.

The photos are autobiographical; a window on Vallée’s life in 90s London. They have a wider historical and political significance, however, as they capture gay youth as the gay community slowly emerged from the horror of the global AIDS epidemic of the 80s and early 90s, Margaret Thatcher and Clause 28, which remained in force until 2003. The simple photo book lets photographs breathe.

to breathe, their rich formal qualities and multi-layered meanings are given space to unfold. And though it’s archival, at a time when far-right governments are taking power in Europe and around the world, Vallée’s celebration of queer culture is as poignant as ever.