Documentary photographer's unseen work on display

A black-and-white photograph of a group of young boys posing for the camera. A couple are on bikes and the boys above them are crowded together, some with their hands in the air. All of them are smiling and look generally excited.Image source, Chris Killip Photography Trust / Magnum Photos, courtesy of a private collection
Image caption,

Askam kids back of John St, 1982

  • Published

Photographs taken by one of the UK's most influential documentary photographers are going on public display for the first time.

Chris Killip spent time in Askam-in-Furness in 1981 and 1982, capturing the intersection between urban and rural life in the west Cumbrian coastal town by befriending members of the community.

But while some images made their way into Killip's archive, he gave many of his portrait subjects the pictures back to hang in their own homes.

A recent research project by Signal Film and Media gallery, in Barrow-in-Furness, saw it reconnect with the subjects of Killip's photographs, resulting in the discovery of more than 100 prints.

Curated by Phil Northcott, the unseen images feature alongside the original Askam-in-Furness series, which was featured in Killip's photobook In Flagrante, his documentation of the deindustrialisation of northern England between 1973-1985.

"We know that Chris Killip developed a close relationship with members of the community and gave the portrait subjects their portraits to hang in their own homes," Mr Northcott said.

A black-and-white photograph of a man walking on the beach between two large brick walls carrying sticks on his back. The sea, boats and hills can be seen in the distance.Image source, Chris Killip Photography Trust/Magnum Photos
Image caption,

Man carrying sticks, Askam-in-Furness, Cumbria, 1982, featured in the original series

A black-and-white photo of two men and a boy walking on a beach with two small dogs. There is a small boat behind them. The man in the forefront is wearing a fringe jacket, rolled up jeans, a beanie hat and boots and is carrying some sort of speaker.Image source, Chris Killip Photography Trust / Magnum Photos, courtesy of a private collection
Image caption,

Askam Beach, 1982

A black-and-white beach scene of three boys playing on two white row boats in the sea. Terraced houses are in the background.Image source, Chris Killip Photography Trust / Magnum Photos, courtesy of a private collection
Image caption,

On Askam Shore, 1982

A black-and-white photo of three boys next to a burnt out shell of a car on a gravelly landscape. One of them is sitting on the bonnet and all are looking towards the camera with windswept hair.Image source, Chris Killip Photography Trust / Magnum Photos, courtesy of a private collection
Image caption,

On top of Askam Slag Bank, 1982

Two boys playing pool. The one on the left is using the pool cue and is pointing it towards the white ball with pursed lips. The other is looking at the ball from the side with his mouth open in a shocked expression.Image source, Chris Killip Photography Trust / Magnum Photos, courtesy of a private collection
Image caption,

Playing pool Askam Youth club, 1982

The images were small gifts Killip made to individuals in Askam.

Mr Northcott's friend Lee was photographed by Killip in Boy with Pigeon and given back the print, which features in the exhibition.

"These images offer us an important and poetic record of a community shaped by industry, landscape, and resilience," Mr Northcott said.

"While selected works in the series have been shown internationally, the complete series has never been shown in its entirety since Chris Killip shared his work with the Askam community soon after he'd made it, in 1982."

The exhibition features 20 photographs from 1982, hand-printed by Killip and loaned by the Chris Killip Photography Trust and Martin Parr Foundation, and 59 digital scans which include those from within the community.

A black-and-white photo of two young boys looking into the camera. The one in the front has short, hair and is smiling with his mouth open, holding up his thumb which is out of focus. The boy in the back is smiling into the camera and has slightly longer hair. He is holding a trumpet and looks to be moving the instrument to his mouth. They are standing on a street with terraced housing.Image source, Chris Killip Photography Trust / Magnum Photos, courtesy of a private collection
Image caption,

2 members of the Askam Town Band, 1982

A black-and-white photo of a young boy holding a pigeon in his arms. He has short, floppy hair and is looking above the camera with a slight smile. He is wearing dark clothes. The pigeon looks settled in his arms.Image source, Chris Killip Photography Trust / Magnum Photos, courtesy of a private collection
Image caption,

Boy with pigeon, 1982

"It's quite a small community, so it's not hard to track them down," Mr Northcott said.

"One thing he always said was that he preferred to see his pictures on people's walls instead of exhibitions."

British documentary photographer Martin Parr described Killip as "one of the key players in postwar British photography".

"He led the way in which he would befriend the communities he photographed, and this created the intimacy and strength of his images."

The complete series of Askam-in-Furness by Chris Killip runs at Signal's newly refurbished Cooke Studios in Barrow from 19 September to 1 November.

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