During the autumn of 2020, between lockdowns, Henry Kenyon undertook the mammoth task of travelling around the UK in 12 days to capture the portraits of 12 incredible ‘Bread Heroes’. The Bread Heroes ranged from farmers and millers, to bakers and teachers.
From hundreds of nominations, 12 people were crowned ‘Bread Heroes’ by the judges of the Tiptree World Bread Awards. Historically, the Awards celebrate the bread. But in 2020, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the Awards chose to recognise the people behind the bread; and celebrate their incredible efforts to support their communities in these challenging times.
Henry, a passionate advocate of public transport, travelled the length and breadth of the United Kingdom using boats, trains, buses – and even a bicycle! In his photographs, he wanted to capture how hard the Bread Heroes work. He said, ‘Artisan isn’t a wishy-washy addendum, not when you see the burns on hands and bags under the eyes.’ He continued, ‘Their artisan skill is a truism for me now, that all the bakers, millers and farmers I met were artists – artists who really lived their art. That’s difficult to show through imagery, but I tried.’
An exhibition of Henry’s ‘Bread Heroes’ photographs is travelling the UK. If you are interested in hosting the exhibition, please contact [email protected]
