When Paul Reas was studying photography with David Hurn, the Magnum great advised him on what exactly he’d need to sustain a long and fruitful career: a decent pair of shoes.
“Of course he didn’t mean a fashionable pair, but a comfortable pair,“ he says, recalling the tip. “A pair which would allow you to walk and stand for long periods of time without discomfort. As much of my work, and the kinds of photography I admire, requires patience, effort and an investment of time, I still think his advice is valid today.”
While the chosen footwear has invariably changed over the years, the 63-year-old’s commitment to documenting British life has remained the same. Born into a working class family in ’50s Bradford, Reas’ sharp, unique observations on class and culture have placed him alongside the likes of Martin Parr, Anna Fox and Paul Graham.

From ‘Flogging a Dead Horse’, 1989 © Paul Reas

From ‘Flogging a Dead Horse’, 1989 © Paul Reas
Now, in a retrospective titled Fables of Faubus, 30 years of his work has been brought together for the first time. Featuring photos taken between 1982 and 2012, the book – published by GOST – maps Britain’s modern social history, from Thatcher right through to the Cameron years, where the early rumblings of Brexit lurk around the corner.
“In many ways, the conditions which delivered the Leave vote in 2016 forms the meta narrative for the book – conditions which resulted in the marginalisation of working class communities,” Reas explains.
“These conditions would be the collapse of the countries manufacturing industries, subsequent unemployment, the promise of rebirth via free market economics and entrepreneurialism, the shift from ‘we’ to ‘me’ culture, the idealisation and repackaging of working lives by the Heritage Industry, the shift of mainstream politics towards the centre right. All of which left many communities feeling isolated and unrepresented.”

From ‘I Can Help’, 1984 © Paul Reas

From ‘Penrhys Estate’, 1984 © Paul Reas
The book takes its title from the Charles Mingus composition of 1959, which was written as a direct protest against Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus who, in 1957, despatched the National Guard to prevent nine black students attending Little Rock Central High School. (“The term ‘Faubus’ came to represent any controlling force – be it racism or political ideology.”)
Ranging from life in Welsh mining towns to redevelopment in London’s Elephant and Castle area, Reas’ work covers a number of different themes and subjects. Consistent throughout, however, is his commitment to exploring the relationship between industry and identity, as well as the manner in which political decisions on a national scale impact small communities.
“We are clearly a divided nation, but this division did not happen overnight,” he says. “We all have to find a way of reconnecting in such a way that no one individual or community feels overlooked or unrepresented because what fills that vacuum of disenchantment is hate and intolerance.”

From ‘From a Distance’, 2012 © Paul Reas

From ‘Penrhys Estate’, 1984 © Paul Reas

From ‘I Can Help’, 1984 © Paul Reas

From ‘The Valleys Project’, 1984 © Paul Reas

From ‘I Can Help’, 1984 © Paul Reas

From ‘The Valleys Project’, 1984 © Paul Reas

From ‘Flogging a Dead Horse’, 1989 © Paul Reas

From ‘The Dance Class’, 1984 © Paul Reas
Fables of Faubus is available now from GOST.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Latest on Huck

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

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

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

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

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

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