Wasted On The Young is in service to the understanding of the intersection of ageing, youth culture and identity. As we slip quietly into middle age, many of us find ourselves adrift, life in the home taking over from communal obsessions that drove us as adolescents. The subjects of these photographs have found a space in their lives to stay connected to the parts of themselves that felt meaningful as young adults.

The project does not advocate for a singular path in embracing middle age but instead reflects upon the diversity of experiences. It portrays a life where the middle-aged can find joy in the activities that once defined their younger selves while simultaneously embracing the serene moments that come with maturity. Wasted On The Young makes no judgement on whether everyone should hold on to a part of their youth so directly, but offers it as a potential path for reconnection with either the world or a sense of self.

By capturing these contrasting worlds, Wasted On The Young endeavours to alter preconceived notions of ageing, suggesting that there’s a world where the ecstasy of youth can coexist with the wisdom and tranquillity of middle age.

James Kendall is a photographer and writer whose art practice is in service to the intersection of music, youth culture and age, with a focus on themes of connection and collective joy. He has been writing about popular culture since 1992 and for the past 12 years has been an editorial photographer, published by i-D, NME, the BBC and many others.

His art practice is exemplified by his most recent project Wasted On The Young, an investigation of the changing nature of middle age. He uses photography as a means of connection and to suggest ways that others can connect to each other and the world. He has had a range of exhibitions - both solo and group shows. His project Best Before was featured in The Guardian amongst other media outlets and was shortlisted for the Danny Wilson Award at the Brighton Photo Fringe.

Now into his third decade of writing about music, he has run his own magazine and travelled the world as a freelance journalist and photographer, as well as hosting radio shows, DJing and promoting club nights and parties. Finally hanging up his professional dancing shoes, he was editor and co-owner of Brighton’s much-loved Source Magazine for eight years.