My Brilliant Grandpa’s Photographs – The Jack Sharp Collection (1950-1970)

Jack Sharp Found Photos

 

Thanks to Dylan Sharp we get to know Jack Sharp (1928-1992), his grandfather. Jack was born in Harrold, a village in Bedfordshire, England. In 1955 he took a job as an engineer at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, better known as the hymned CERN (originally: Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléairein) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Dylan says “Jack loved life, the outdoors and fully embraced anything he took interest in”. Blend that love of fresh air with the engineer’s eye for detail and an avid passion for taking pictures, and the result is a treasure trove of street photography.

There’s more. From 1962 to 1964 Jack worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in exchange with CERN. He travelled and took photographs of various locations in North America.

This is Jack Sharp taking a selfie:

 

Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland

 

Jack invites us not to consider his story, but to think about the stories in his pictures. These are more than snapshots. These are storyboards.

 

Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland

Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland

 

As ever, let’s try to imagine the stories between the pictures.

 

Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland

Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland

Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland
Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland Jack Sharp Found Photos Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland Jack Sharp Found Photos
Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland
Jack Sharp Found Photos Geneva Switzerland

Jack Sharp Found Photos Jack Sharp Found Photos

 

Let’s end with three more photographs of Jack.

 

Jack Sharp Found Photos-13

 

Keep up with Jack’s life and times on Dylan’s Instagram and website.

Would you like to support Flashbak?

Please consider making a donation to our site. We don't want to rely on ads to bring you the best of visual culture. You can also support us by signing up to our Mailing List. And you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For great art and culture delivered to your door, visit our shop.