Unseen
Peep Show
Since 2000, I worked on and off, for about 12 years in a little Peep Show, in an alley, in Soho. In 2004, for the first time, I began taking pictures with my 35 mm camera. Mobile phones did not take pictures at the time, at leats the one I used.
With the title 'Unseen Peep Show' I presented these rather shy pictures are part of a series I made to pass into a bridging course on social documentary to study a BA in Photographic Arts by Westminster University.
We were working on a morning or a night shift for six hours and a half slots. Two weekly shifts allowed me to make enough money to be able to study. I could have not done it with a job as a waitress. The sex industry was very different back then. You could smoke inside the premises and work with another girl. The windows very very small and basic.
Back in 2005 none of my family members nor many of my friends knew I was working there. After graduating a course in Professional Photography, I was given the opportunity to take a 'bridging course' and access to a Bachelor Arts in the Photographic Art by University of Westminster. I decided to show some pictures of my work but told to my teachers and fellow students that 'a friend of mine was working there. Despite the shy depiction of my work, this project was cathartic as, since then, I photographed many peep shows and strip clubs.
Many of these pictures from peep shows remain indeed still unseen and unedited these days until I find the right medium.
The picture at the bottom was taken few years later and show my development in my photographic journey. I did not care anymore if my tattoo was recognised.
This Peep Show does not exist anymore. Right now, a mexican restarurant lays not far from where it was with the letters Peep Show at the front. This is a clear example of what gentrification did to the red light district of central London, Soho.














