Photographer Keiran Perry takes us into the heart of a nomadic community with Smoke Filled Mirror, his first photobook published by New Dimension and Pendle Press. The project explores resilience, spirituality, and belonging through the eyes of a traveling circus troupe in northern England.

The Genesis of the Book

Smoke Filled Mirror was born from an encounter in Morecambe, Lancashire, where a circus troupe stranded by the pandemic caught Perry’s attention. Fascinated by their world—suspended between spectacle and everyday life—he spent two years documenting them. The book features over 100 images across 160 pages, blending portraits and magical realism to depict community and human connection. The experience profoundly impacted Perry, leading him to live off the grid in the Scottish Highlands. His photographic exploration became a reflection on fragility and daily reinvention.

Keiran Perry and the Circus as a Mirror

The circus in Smoke Filled Mirror is more than just a performance—it’s a microcosm of intertwined lives. Perry captures the behind-the-scenes reality of a nomadic existence: artists who are workers by day and performers by night. Photography becomes a bridge between reality and illusion. As Perry puts it: “The circus became a mirror of my own journey, where the boundaries between life and performance dissolve, revealing a shared sense of humanity.”

Smoke Filled Mirror will be available on New Dimension’s website and will be launched with an exhibition in London on March 14, 2025. A unique opportunity to discover a nomadic reality through the lens of a photographer like Perry.