Arenda 1

Arenda was a bus driver in London. One day in the late 1990s, Maj-Lis Andersen got on her bus. Their encounter resulted in a series of staged portraits of Arenda, photographed at the depot where the bus was parked between shifts. By persuading Arenda, who had an interest in film and theatre, to perform in the images, Andersen extends the art of photographic portraiture. The result is a series of powerful, and melancholic portraits of a professional woman, characterised by the intimacy and playful understanding between artist and subject. Andersen lived in London for twelve years. In her essay and photo book Maj-Lis in London (2012), she describes her fascination with the city and its inhabitants.