Man on Bridge

Man on Bridge is an online documentary that tells the story of Arthur Fields, a Jewish Ukrainian who became a Dublin institution.

Arthur Fields worked as a street photographer on O’Connell bridge taking photographs of passersby everyday for over 50 years.  It is estimated that Arthur took 182,500 photographs on the bridge from the early 1930s until he stopped in 1985 at the age of 84.

Man on Bridge will work as a collection point for these photos and will allow the public to upload their own Arthur Fields photo. This growing database of user-submitted photos will be integrated into our online story of Arthur on a rolling basis as photos are submitted.

Combining video, archival still image, text and audio, Man on Bridge will allow users to explore both Arthur’s life and the photos he took and the impact his images have had on the lives of others.

Man on Bridge aims to remind users how important touchstones like Arthur are in the social fabric of a city. So many people have an Arthur Fields photo buried away in their collection and the project aims to bring together as many of these cherished photos as possible under one umbrella. Additionally, Man on Bridge will let users appreciate our cultural and social history, in terms of fashion and camera technology.

Ultimately, in a time where we are over-photographed, we want Man on Bridge to remind people how important the physical photo is as an object to value and hold on to for years.

Please vote for Man on Bridge at Arthur Guinness Projects