In Pictures: Culture, class and identity through the decades

A chronology of class — Pooling together the works of 20 iconic photographers, ‘An Ideal For Living’ shines a light on class, culture and identity from post-World War I Britain to now, featuring images from the likes of Charlie Phillips and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

From the mistreatment of steel workers leading to the 1926 general strike, to the eviction of council families and unresting gentrification of today’s London, the British class struggle has always been a prevalent issue. Capturing the true extent of this is difficult, but a pool of photographers, brought together for Beetles + Huxley’s new exhibition, ‘An Ideal for Living’, have tried.

Photo by Mahtab Hussain

Red Hijab, Red Dress and Bling, from the series ‘Honest with you’, 2013 © Mahtab Hussain

Photo by Martin Parr

New Brighton. From ‘The Last Resort’. 1983-85 copyright Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

Exhibiting the work of a talented collection of photographers, the exhibition shows the variety and creativity with which photographers have sought to document what they consider to be a particularly British way of life. The exhibition includes Cartier-Bresson’s candid black and white images of inter-war central London, and Simon Roberts’ and James Morris’ examination of rural landscapes in modern Britain.

The project examines the ever-changing face of identity struggle across Britain. While Frank Habicht sought to depict fashions and trends during the 1960s, Charlie Phillips was documenting black communities in the city, returning time and time again to Notting Hill Carnival.

Photo by Charlie Phillips

Notting Hill couple, 1967 © Charlie Phillips

Photo by Jurgen Schadberg

May Ball, Cambridge, 1983 © Jurgen Schadeberg

Phillips claims his inspiration for this came from “ the era of cold war and American GI’s who visited the area, at the time the average family was living in one room.”

“Then I saw an illustration by Norman Rockwell, of American Life, in the Saturday Evening Post”, Phillips continues, “and I thought why not apply it to my neighbours and document our Caribbean life.  It was my intention to put them into an album to take with us when I returned to live in Jamaica, which I never did.”

Photo by John Bulmer

Mill Girls, Elland, Yorkshire, 1965 © John Bulmer

Photo by Emil Otto Hoppe

School boy with luggage, Paddington Station, London, 1933, © Emil Otto Hoppe

Charlie agreed to be part of this exhibition as he felt his photographs show a side to London’s civil history that is rarely celebrated in pictures. “Emil Otto Hoppés School Boy with Luggage, Paddington Station, London, 1933,  It reminded me of my own childhood. I was twelve when we came to Britain and the memory of arriving at Paddington Station on the boat train.”

[Photo by James Morris]

Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd Wales, 2008 © James Morris

Photo by Frank Habicht

No loss of face, Earl’s Court, London c 1960 © Frank Habicht

The issue of race is further explored by Syd Shelton, whose photographs of the Battle of Lewisham in 1977 exhibit how punk influenced a generation to abolish racism and instead focus on a more inclusive future for London’s music scene.

Photo by Syd Shelton

Bagga (Bevin Fagan) Hackney, East London, 1979 © Syd Shelton

Showcasing other less visible cultures from around the UK, photographs from Chris Killip show the idiosyncratic appeal of rural life in England. He documents a community in Lynemouth that survived by collecting coal from the sea.

Photo by Derek Ridgers

Tuinol Barry, Kings Road, London, 1983 © Derek Ridgers

Photo by Bill Brandt

Parloumaid and under-parlourmaid ready to serve dinner, 1936 © Bill Brandt

Exploring Britain’s social identity is a subject widely studied but rarely pulled off in a way as convincing as in these photographs. From the windowless houses of miners from the 1930s to the densely populated parks of London’s chaotic summer, this collection offers a chronological look at how the dynamic of Britain’s class culture has responded to a government constantly trying to hold onto their power.

All images courtesy of Beetles + Huxley.

‘An Ideal for Living’, is open from 27 July – 17 September 2016.

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.


Ad

Latest on Huck

Red shop frontage with "Open Out" branding and appointment-only signage.
Activism

Meet the trans-led hairdressers providing London with gender-affirming trims

Open Out — Since being founded in 2011, the Hoxton salon has become a crucial space the city’s LGBTQ+ community. Hannah Bentley caught up with co-founder Greygory Vass to hear about its growth, breaking down barbering binaries, and the recent Supreme Court ruling.

Written by: Hannah Bentley

Cyclists racing past Palestinian flag, yellow barriers, and spectators.
Sport

Gazan amputees secure Para-Cycling World Championships qualification

Gaza Sunbirds — Alaa al-Dali and Mohamed Asfour earned Palestine’s first-ever top-20 finish at the Para-Cycling World Cup in Belgium over the weekend.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Crowded festival site with tents, stalls and an illuminated red double-decker bus. Groups of people, including children, milling about on the muddy ground.
© Alan Tash Lodge
Music

New documentary revisits the radical history of UK free rave culture

Free Party: A Folk History — Directed by Aaron Trinder, it features first-hand stories from key crews including DiY, Spiral Tribe, Bedlam and Circus Warp, with public streaming available from May 30.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Weathered wooden building with a tall spire, person on horseback in foreground.
Culture

Rahim Fortune’s dreamlike vision of the Black American South

Reflections — In the Texas native’s debut solo show, he weaves familial history and documentary photography to challenge the region’s visual tropes.

Written by: Miss Rosen

A collage depicting a giant flup for mankind, with an image of the Earth surrounded by planets and people in sci-fi costumes.
Culture

Why Katy Perry’s space flight was one giant flop for mankind

Galactic girlbossing — In a widely-panned, 11-minute trip to the edge of the earth’s atmosphere, the ‘Women’s World’ singer joined an all-female space crew in an expensive vanity advert for Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Newsletter columnist Emma Garland explains its apocalypse indicating signs.

Written by: Emma Garland

Three orange book covers with the title "Foreign Fruit" against a dark background.
Culture

Katie Goh: “I want people to engage with the politics of oranges”

Foreign Fruit — In her new book, the Edinburgh-based writer traces her personal history through the citrus fruit’s global spread, from a village in China to Californian groves. Angela Hui caught up with her to find out more.

Written by: Katie Goh

Huck is supported by our readers, subscribers and Club Huck members. It is also made possible by sponsorship from:

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to informed with the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, featuring personal takes on the state of media and pop culture from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.