BILLY CHILDISH & TRACEY EMIN: ALIVE AND WELL AND DYING IN CHATHAM
photographs 1982-86 by Eugene Doyen.
50 Images never previously exhibited.
8-30 November as part of the Real Turner Prize Show 2000.

Pure Gallery,1 Leonard Street, London EC2, Old Street exit 4
tel 07000 (vision) 847466, open 12-6 pm Monday - Friday
08 - 30 November 2000

Eugene Doyen: This is My Proof

As a photography student at Medway College of Design at the start of the eighties one of the photographer's I liked was Duane Michaels, who always had a written comment with the photographs he took. One in particular appealed to me. It was a picture of a man, and a woman, and said, as I remember, "This is my proof. She did love me. We were together." What I didn't realize when I photographed Billy and Tracey was that this is my proof. Billy did love Tracey. Tracey did love Billy. They were together. The photographs I took of them give me great pleasure. I remember the immense happiness that they took in each other, and the pride it gave them to be together.

This exhibition is meant as celebration of Billy and Tracey and those days in Chatham.

By many standards of behavior Billy and Tracey's relationship was extreme, and outrageous. My view is that they gave and took what they needed from each other at that time. And actually it was the outrageousness of it that made it such fun. Whatever you may hear, or read about Billy and Tracey today, especially if there are any accusations, or animosities involved spare a moment to remember these photographs and what they show you of my good friends.

Eugene Doyen - November 2000