31 Portraits in 31 Days
A Charitable Photographic Project
31thirtyone.com
October 2010

Last August, while preparing for his theatre role as Hamlet, John Simm sat for photographer Matt Humphrey to support charitable photographic project 31thirtyone in which Humphrey has taken 31 portraits of actors in 31 days. See the online exhibition with John Simm’s portrait (#3123), plus the rest of the stars released daily throughout October at the 31thirtyone Gallery.

About 31thirtyone
31thirtyone is a charitable photographic project with the aim to take 31 portraits in as many days. This year, all the photographs will take place during August. This will prove to be not only a logistical, but a photographic challenge too. The resulting photographs will be put together as a physical and online exhibition, running concurrently later in the year. There will be a limited number of prints of each portrait, plus a special one-off signed, mounted & framed copy, which will be put on public auction. All proceeds from these sales will be donated to this year’s nominated charity – Crohn’s and Colitis UK (NACC).

Excerpts from 31thirtyone Blog by Matt Humphrey:

Counting down…
August 29, 2010

This project has definitely had the better of me. Which is a good thing, for the project! The last few days have been pretty frenetic as I find myself racing for the finish line after what has been a most triumphant marathon-like steeplechase of a month. On Thursday I had the opportunity of meeting the star that is John Simm, as he prepares himself to join that elite club of actors to portray Hamlet in the production taking place in Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre as of next month. The sitting was brief, as they were breaking for lunch during rehearsals, but I was happy of the chance to capture him at this important stage of preparation for the role. …

Print Sales and Auction
October 4, 2010

Print Sales: There will be a limited (31) numbered run of each portrait, priced at £31.31. These will go on sale once the whole set have been released on the website, from 1st November.

Silent Auction: The prints in the exhibition will be larger, signed by the sitter and myself, mounted and framed. Each of these prints will be auctioned silently with the auction lasting the duration of the exhibition week; from Monday 1st – Sunday 7th November.

The Exhibition: Will take place at the Strand gallery (Proud Central), 32 John Adam St, London, wc2n 6bp from 1st – 7th November. Free admission. Opening hours: 11am – 7pm mon – sat, 11am – 6pm sun.  I hope you can make it to the exhibition and help us to raise as much as possible for charity.

Matt Humphrey’s backstage photography and his 31thirtyone project were recently featured in The Independent, “Exit, pursued by a camera:  Backstage portraits offer a unique glimpse of stars relaxing at the Old Vic”.

Special thanks to flip18 at The Railway Arms for the heads up on John Simm’s involvement with this charity project.