Great to finally share this. . . This is a big one for me, and in a strange way, this photograph has been four years in the making. . . When I worked on my first project, The Whole House is Shaking, I addressed some aspects of my own family history that were difficult to discuss. Reconnecting with my dad after years of little contact, I began to make work around the subject of his struggle with addiction. We started to meet up regularly for the first time. It was nice to be getting to know more about my dad, hearing him tell stories; generally having a laugh and talking shit about nothing in particular. . . Partly because I wanted to embrace this process of getting to know him, and partly because I was hesitant and weary about making work with him directly; my camera stayed in its bag for years. . . In November, I called him up and told him about an idea I had that involved shaving our hair. I was scared that he would say no, but to my surprise, he was enthusiastic about the idea. He rooted out my grandads old Wahl clippers and I drove round to his house as quickly as I could. . . Forming part of a larger body of work that has been coming together over the past three years, the process has involved a reconciliation of our own vulnerabilities as men. The photograph has been shortlisted for the Wellcome prize 2021 @wellcomephotoprize , under the theme of mental health. . . Through working with my dad, I’ve come to believe that as men, we need to recognise our capacity for both strength and vulnerability; and that being more open about the way we feel is necessary if we want to create better lives for ourselves and the people around us. . . It’s an honour to be part of this award that serves to promote awareness around the current health challenges of our time. . . I’ve a lot more to say about this story but here isn’t the best place. thank you t x #mackfromhome