In the summer of 1979 Nubar Alexanian stepped aboard the vessel Joseph and Lucia II for ten days of fishing on Georges Bank with the Brancaleone family of Gloucester, Massachusetts and their crew. More trips followed in 1980 and 1981, and the photographs taken on those voyages form the heart of this book. They show the photographer’s intimate connection with his subjects, and with Gloucester itself.
Gloucester: When The Fish Came First is as much an invitation as a documentary work. Alexanian’s photographs reveal the spirit of this place and the strength of her people. Complex and ruggedly beautiful, they honor Gloucester’s enigmatic soul, her resilient spirit, and her hard-won character. Against all odds, this is a place that continues to believe in itself.