A Joy Division exhibit, Joy Devotion: A Year in the Life of a Rock Shrine, opened in London last week. The exhibit is a collection of pictures shot by Jennifer Otter*, who spent a year photographing Ian Curtis' gravesite as part of her PhD research project, which focuses on fan devotion/obsession. For the project, Otter chose to capture items/trinkets left at Curtis' memorial (an estimated 2000 people flock to the site in Macclesfield each year) and photographed the site monthly from 2009-2010, including May 18th, 2010--the 30th anniversary of Curtis' death. Otter's pictures are currently on display at XOYO in London, and she's also published the photos in her newly released book, Joy Devotion A Year of Trash, Trinkets and Tributes at the Ian Curtis Memorial Stone.
Joy Devotion: A Year in the Life of a Rock Shrine runs through July 31st at XOYO. More info on the exhibit is available here, and a short review of the exhibit/book is posted here. The book, Joy Devotion: A Year of Trash, Trinkets and Tributes at the Ian Curtis Memorial Stone can be purchased here or through Otter's official site.
Watch a short promo video for Joy Devotion below.
*Otter is no stranger to the world of music; she began her career as a label rep for Sony, and spent time on the road with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Rage Against The Machine, and worked on marketing campaigns for U2, Eminem, and others. Otter later returned to graduate school to obtain her PhD in Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths University of London. Her work has focused on artists and fandom (her Master's thesis was on Morrissey) and she's spoken on the subject as an associate lecturer at several universities.