Alexander Ward - ‘The Wild Swimmers’
This ongoing series focuses on individuals who immerse themselves in the cold and often unforgiving waters of lakes, rivers, and seas across the UK. It offers a portrait of a resilient and compelling subculture, revealing the deep connections these swimmers form with their environments and the personal motivations that drive them.
The artist approaches each subject with sensitivity and spontaneity, working across digital and film to create portraits that feel both grounded and expansive. Swimmers are photographed in their homes and within their local wetlands, creating a narrative that flows between domestic space and the natural world.
Developed as part of a research project for Alexander’s Masters at Falmouth, the work is both a documentation of a community and an exploration of the relationship between people and place.