Till Death Us Do Part by John Paul Evans, made between 2013 and 2017 in domestic settings, interrogates the conventions of wedding portraiture and the family album through the lens of a same-sex, intergenerational relationship. Prompted by the UK government's 2013 bill to legalize same-sex marriage, the series reflects the evolving definitions of family and normality in Western societies. Evans documents his life with his husband Peter while constructing a counter-archive that challenges traditional boundaries of familial belonging.
The couple is depicted in absurd, carefully staged tableaux that evoke the uncanny—the familiar rendered strange. Dressed identically in conservative suits and posed formally within domestic interiors, the figures simultaneously inhabit and disrupt the visual language of traditional portraiture. The work reflects on time and loss, underscoring the poignant reality that the couple, separated by 27 years, "can never grow old together" in a conventional sense.
Technically speaking, the images are rigorously constructed and entirely presented in black and white, reinforcing the project's formal and restrained aesthetic. The performative gestures are staged with precision, with Peter—drawing on his background in television and theater—playing an active role in contributing to the creative process.
The series has been shown internationally, including at Encontros da Imagem (Braga, 2017), Outono Fotográfico (Ourense, 2017), the Pride Photo Awards at Foam (Amsterdam, 2015), and Athens Photo Festival (2019). A work from the project was also awarded the Hasselblad Masters Award in the Wedding category (2016).
