The Ordinary Life
of Alison Martinu

My series portrays the everyday life of Alison, a suburban cross-dresser living in Newcastle. These pictures are more than a temporary escape, they are testimony to the self-creation of identity.

Alison describes the necessity of expressing their feminine identity as an alter ego. - “Very few of us are in a position to integrate both aspects of ourselves into our everyday lives. Also most heterosexual cross-dressers find their partners do not accept their inclinations and have to keep the whole thing secret.”

Digital Photography and the platform of Flickr revolutionised Alison’s experience of cross-dressing, as they never went out in public dressed up, it gave them an opportunity to experiment their femininity to other people.

I followed them in their routine and rambles in North England.

Cross-dressers like Alison might have remained overlooked as they usually perform for themselves. I have found interesting to reflect the ordinariness and duality of their life, demonstrating there are also other forms of transgenderism.

Winner
Portrait of Britain 2023

Publication
Portrait of Britain volume 5



Exhibitions

Portrait of Britain 2023
Screen JC Decaux (all UK), 2023

PhMuseum Days 2021
‘A New Beginning’ DumBO, Bologna (IT)

Tbilisi Photo Festival 2018
Tbilisi (GE)

BPF OPEN18 SOLO
Part of the 20 shortlisted artists Onca Gallery,
Brighton Photo Fringe, Brighton(UK), 2018