Anne Noble

Pleasure and play

In the series Ruby’s room, renowned photographer Anne Noble focuses on her daughter’s mouth.

Noble has said that the best childhood moments to record are the ones usually overlooked. Many of these ‘relate to pleasures and play around the mouth, moments of defiance and triumph, like managing to blow a really good bubble with bubble gum ... I wanted to magnify the colour, the spontaneity, the life, the fun and play, and all the things that I enjoyed as a mother.’

The photographs – when removed from the family context and shown on a gallery wall – take on disturbing qualities, challenging romantic ideas about childhood.

This text was prepared for the Collecting Contemporary exhibition, February 2012.