The Print Sales Gallery summer exhibition at The Photographers’ Gallery, By the Seaside, celebrates the British seaside in all its eccentric splendour. From the glitzy heydays of the 1960s and 1970s to today’s trend of ‘staycations’, seven UK-based photographers capture the quintessential spirit of the great British holiday!
Rob Ball (b. 1977) has been photographing the coast for fifteen years. He sees the coastline as an intrinsic part of British identity and examines the rhythms and seasonal and generational changes of seaside resorts.
Anna Fox (b. 1961) is known for her highly charged use of flash and colour. Fox’s Resort series continues an important lineage of photographs of Butlin’s folklore. She juxtaposes personal intimacy with the surreal settings of Butlin’s in Bognor Regis, to create playful, sometimes critical, parodies of the British family camp experience.
John Hinde (1916-1997) was famous for his vivid photographs of Great Britain and Ireland at leisure in the late 1960s and 70s. His distinct aesthetic greatly influenced the art of postcard photography. Hinde trained a studio of photographers to meticulously follow his style and vision to create postcards which were sold at Butlin’s holiday camps across the UK.
Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen (b. 1948) is a Finnish photographer who has lived and worked in Britain since the 1960s. Her series Byker (1969–1983) and Writing in the Sand (1978–1998) document the devastating impact of Newcastle’s East End redevelopment on the local community alongside the moments of joy and escapism on the beach.
Martin Parr (b. 1952) is renowned for capturing the oddities and humour of everyday British life. The Last Resort: Photographs of New Brighton (1986) shows his now distinct personal style – bright colours and vivid images – which has earned him a reputation as a renowned satirical photojournalist.
Simon Roberts (b. 1974) explores how our relationship with the landscape shapes our sense of self and belonging. Pierdom is a comprehensive survey of Britain’s pleasure piers, contrasting their historical significance with their modern contexts.
Luke Stephenson (b. 1983) is intrigued by the many eccentricities of the British psyche. 99 x 99s documents the story of the 99 ice cream through a photographic road trip. As he travelled, Stephenson was fascinated by how ice-cream makers and sellers across the UK make each 99 ice cream unique.
This Print Sales Gallery exhibition is presented in collaboration with Michael Hoppen Gallery, the Centre for British Photography, and Rocket Gallery.
Further highlights from the Photographers’ Gallery’s summer programme include three brand new exhibitions Ernest Cole: House of Bondage, Graciela Iturbide: Shadowlines and Meditations on Love, all on display until 22 September 2024. Siân Davey – The Garden is on show in Soho Photography Quarter, right outside the Gallery, until November 2024.
By the Seaside
Until 8 September 2024
The Photographers’ Gallery
Print Sales Gallery
16–18 Ramillies Street
London W1F 7LW
www.thephotographersgallery.org.uk
