Award-winning photographer and director Serena Brown has created a short film, 'As simple as breathing', to tie in with her photographic commission for the National Portraits Gallery's Taylor Wessing Commission prize. The work is centred on the story of clean air activist Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, whose 9-year-old daughter, Ella, was the first person in the world to have air pollution listed as their cause of death after growing up next to the South Circular in Lewisham (more on Ella’s story can be read here www.ellaroberta.org/about-ella ).

 

With visuals from the day of the shoot, this emotive and personal short film features a sensitive insight into who Rosamund is and the impact that the loss of her daughter has had on her family. Brown's intention for this piece was to share Rosamund's inspiring story as well as celebrate the strong woman and activist she has come to know since their first encounter in 2020. The photographs from this project have entered the National Portrait Gallery's permanent collection and were on display during this year’s Taylor Wessing exhibition.