A new photographic series examines what Brexit means for couples facing separation

A new photographic series examines the impact that Brexit, or Britain’s exit from the European Union, will have on couples who now have to contemplate separation. Called ‘Separation,’ it comprises 13 portraits of London-based couples by photographer Laura Pannack. One half of each couple is British and the other has moved to the UK from Europe.

The nationalities of the featured couples are: British, Italian, Finnish, Bulgarian, Spanish, Polish, Swedish, French and German.
Each portrait is accompanied by a biography of the couple and a personal reflection on what the prospective withdrawal of the UK from the EU will mean for their relationship. At least one half of each couple featured works in London’s creative sector, a diverse industry that has long been a draw for Europeans moving to the English capital. The job titles of the couples include film programmer, arts tutor, sound artist, graphic designer, animation designer and professional drummer.

Italian historian Lorenzo and British shoe designer Phoebe say that neither of them would consider living outside London. “We spend a lot of time in Italy but we never leave London, except to go to Gatwick,” says Lorenzo. “Having grown up as “Europeans” we are dismayed to find that we won’t necessarily have the freedom to live in either of our countries. Ultimately, we have decided to move to Italy by 2019 – Phoebe has already applied for dual nationality.”

The series was commissioned by the British Journal of Photography and created with Affinity Photo for iPad. You can see the full series of Separation images here.