Clare Richardson: Harlemville

Harlemville is a small community in North America which adheres to the philosophical writings of the Austrian philosopher, Rudolf Steiner, and his Waldorf schooling system. The community encourages freedom of expression, creativity and imagination, which in turn imbues an uninhibited self-confidence and self-awareness that is rarely present in mainstream American society.

Richardson spent 24 months observing the community first-hand and found their reverence for nature and the 'confident quietness' of the place captivating. With their quiet, formal clarity, her images evoke a nostalgic sense of innocence and Harlemville appears idyllic in its radical optimism.