Earlier this year, photographer Isaac Lamb and Stone Island archivist Archie Maher, set out to Colombia, trading the city of London for Medellín, the capital of the country’s Antioquia province. A friend of theirs had moved there a few years prior, sharing photos and videos of the city and its biker community. It was this scene in particular that piqued Lamb and Maher’s interest.
“We would watch them endlessly and obsess over their talent,” the pair explains. “They always looked so free! We longed for an opportunity to head to Colombia to meet them all and document their scene.” Thankfully, Stone Island made it happen.
Giving Dazed an exclusive first glimpse, this weekend the luxury outerwear brand reveals the outcome of Lamb and Maher’s adventure, an arresting photo series that takes us to the heart of South America’s biker subculture. From start to end, the project took six months to complete, but what was the experience like? “Honestly, life changing,” they admit.
“They were super friendly and really welcomed us into their world. They actually really inspired us to acknowledge what’s important in life; hanging out with friends and loved ones and having a completely open outlook on the world. They wanted to show us everything - from their homes to parts of the most secret city's spots. We felt completely embraced and feel this is reflected in the body of work we’ve produced. Medellín is a very special city, the energy is unmatched.”
That said, once in a lifetime experiences aren’t always smooth sailing, and this project wasn’t without its challenges, as the duo explains. “Medellín is a pretty hectic city and there was a lot to juggle so making sure every detail throughout the shoot was executed correctly was challenging. We wanted to make sure we were capturing more than just the stunts and really delving into the cast and their lives.”
“From the outset, we wanted to build genuine connections and take this community out of their normal comfort zone. The majority of the cast had never been on a photo shoot, let alone a photo studio. We’ve got to shout out our legendary Colombian production crew, Danny, Daniel and Mejo, they really brought everything together for us out there!”
Ultimately, their mission was to become more than just onlookers capturing a scene. “We wanted to fully immerse ourselves in their world, documenting from the inside out,” they explain. And although Lamb and Maher may have returned to the UK, spiritually, they remain on the back of a motorbike, racing through the Colombian mountains.