As this year's Notting Hill Carnival approaches, photographer Vic Moy reflects on her powerful documentation of West London's vibrant cultural celebration. Her work from the 2024 festivities tells what she describes as "a story of resilience and one of joy," capturing the extraordinary spirit that defines this iconic British cultural event.
Moy's journey as an artist has been deeply personal, rooted in overcoming a childhood where "children were seen but not heard." She explains that "part of my personal and creative journey has been about giving myself ongoing permission: to speak, feel, reflect, heal, and to grow." This optimism, she says, "washes over her lens, adding a soft and emotional cultural depth to her work." She looks forward to creating "somewhere frostbite doesn't exist" through her photography.
For her second time documenting Notting Hill Carnival, Moy invested considerable time in cultural research before taking to the streets. She immersed herself in understanding the experiences of Caribbean elders who immigrated to the UK, describing them as those "who gently shaped the waters of Black British history, leaving everlasting ripples across the UK's cultural legacy and global history." This thorough preparation allowed her work to be genuinely informed by the community around her.
Moy's photographic approach focuses intently on intimate moments rather than grand spectacles. Her images make viewers feel as though they are walking alongside her through the carnival, passing "feathers, flag capes, and dollar chains." She aimed to capture "even a small glimpse of the inner beauty of each person, each representing their island, identity, culture, and extraordinary spirit." Her research-heavy process saturates every frame with cultural understanding and respect.
Research forms a fundamental pillar of Moy's creative process, with extensive time devoted to crafting the visual narrative. "Much of my visual inspiration comes from falling into daily research rabbit holes, archival projects, singular images, and revisiting powerful bodies across all mediums," she explains. She approaches each shoot with careful consideration of how to angle her lens, taking seriously her role in representation and never treating it lightly.
A significant thread running through Moy's work addresses disability representation. After years of struggling without language to articulate her inner world and "growing somewhat numb to the depths of my emotions," she discovered she was dyslexic. This realization became a turning point, leading her to commit to personal growth and expanding her creative vocabulary. Her understanding deepened through collaboration with With Not For, a disability-founded talent and production agency.
Moy connected with With Not For's founders, Kelly and Emma, through shared values and a common understanding of life's inaccessibility challenges - "a real and relatable experience." These connections have enriched her creative ecosystem, which she describes as being influenced by "Yeshua, visceral feeling, my mother, conversations, lived experience, music, and film." These diverse influences contribute to her unique perspective on documenting untold stories.
Looking toward the future, Moy draws inspiration from photographer Andre D. Wagner's words: "I hope to be a steward of my own evolution." She reflects that "that idea has stayed with me and that's the direction I have naturally been choosing." Her CRNVL 24 series stands as testament to her commitment to using photography as a tool for cultural documentation and personal growth, capturing the essence of a celebration that represents so much more than a festival - it embodies identity, heritage, and the resilience of a community that has shaped British culture in profound ways.
