Joy Division, the red thread of my entire life - For Joy Division hard core fans

Preliminary note

It may sound crazy, but I haven't spoken or even met Joy Division when the came to Belgium in 1979 and 1980. Duh!

Meeting Natalie Curtis

In 2011, I was contacted by Les Rencontres Photographiques d’Art’lon's curator. The yearly event dedicated to photography had decided to invite Natalie Curtis. The curator wanted to display a huge print of my Ian Curtis photo next to Natalie's photos.
In all honesty, I found this – at the very least – awkward: Natalie was then a young photographer trying to establish her first name despite the immense shadow cast by her late father. This was a unique opportunity for her to exist on her own and get credit and comments based on her art, he own merits. I could not see myself distracting visitors with my photo of Ian.
And I told it the curator. But he kept insisting, so I asked him what was Natalie's opinion on the matter. After contacting her, he told me she was OK with the idea. As I had no real grounds for seeing problems where she didn't and being more reluctant than she was, I gave in and accepted.

On April 28, 2011, I went to Arlon (Belgium most southern town, next to the Luxemburg border) to meet Natalie and take pictures of Control (a JD tribute band). I introduced myself to Natalie and we discussed photography. I asked if I could take a portrait of her in front of her dad's picture. She agreed.

At the end of the evening, after Control's gig, I met Natalie on my way out. I said I needed to tell her something important. I explained that Annik was a a very good friend of mine and that she wasn't at all the bitch her mother described in Touching From A Distance. I made clear I understood why she had written it and how bad she must have felt, but that her opinion of Annik and her motives was biased and totally untrue and unfair. It was a very emotional and exhausting moment for me. Natalie listened without interrupting me. At the end she didn't comment nor respond. We said goodbye and I returned home.

A few months before her too early demise, Annik revealed in an interview (featured in Au Plan K 40 - The Addendum) that she had always hoped to meet Natalie to tell her (Natalie) her (Annik's) side of story. I was so glad to have had the opportunity to shine some light on her truth for Natalie. Did she believe me ? Was I able to make her pause and think? Who knows... But I'm sure that by now life has taught Natalie there are always multiple sides to a story.

The mural by Akse-P19 (website) (Instagram)

• is based on a picture I took in (La Raffinerie du) Plan K, 21 rue de Manchester (Manchester street!), Brussels, Belgium on October 16, 1979. (More pictures of that gig here)
• was originally — 10/2020 - 08/2022— located 75 Port Street, Manchester, M1 2EG, United Kingdom (map)
and was meant from day one to be a one year lease of space
• is — since 09/2023 — located 18-20 Fairfield St, Manchester, M1 2QF, United Kingdom (map)
on the side of the Star & Garter pub, a listed building. So this time it's meant to stay.

Below, some pictures I took of the second mural

On April 12, 2024, I was invited by Peter Hook to visit the mural and take part in a Q&A session opening The Light charity gig held in The Star & Garter, the very building the mural is painted on.

Below, some pictures inside the Star & Garter (April 2024)

Below, some pictures I took of Macclesfield (June 2013)

Below, some pictures I took of Manchester (June 2019 and April 2024)