Moments of British seaside life will soon line the streets in a new public exhibition in Dorset.
An outdoor photography display titled England-on-Sea, by photographer Brent Jones, will launch in Poole this spring, capturing everyday stories along the English coastline.
Running from Tuesday 17 March to Sunday 14 June, the exhibition will transform Falkland Square and Kingland into an open-air gallery of coastal scenes.
Walpole Bay tidal pool in Margate, Kent, April 8 2023. (Image: Brent Jones)
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Brent Jones, who spent several years travelling the English coast for the project, said: “Against the backdrop of Brexit, COVID, the climate emergency, and economic recession, I felt this was a particularly pertinent moment to record our nation at leisure.
“My approach was to decide the composition, set up the camera with a fixed viewpoint, and settle down for the great British public to populate the scene.”
Brought up in the coastal village of Fawley, Mr Jones’ childhood memories inspired his return to the sea.
He said: “I was brought up in the late sixties in the coastal village of Fawley and spent my childhood sinking into oily mud, picking my way across shingle, and rock pooling.
“It was with these childhood memories that I returned to the seaside to discover how it is changing economically, socially, and culturally.”
The exhibition, commissioned by Poole Business Improvement District (BID) and supported by Dorset National Landscape, features 20 images from the wider collection.
Crosby, Merseyside, August 11 2022. (Image: Brent Jones)
Jacqui Rock, CEO of Poole BID, said: “We’re delighted to bring Brent Jones’ England-on-Sea exhibition to Poole town.
“As a historic harbour town with a strong relationship to the coast, Poole provides the perfect setting for a project that explores how people connect with seaside places.
“Outdoor exhibitions like this help bring culture into our public spaces and encourage people to see the town, and its coastal identity, in a new way.”
Organisers hope England-on-Sea will encourage visitors to reflect on what they love about the coast, what makes it special, and how we can all play a role in its future.
More photographs from the England-on-Sea series can be viewed at Brent Jones’ photgraphy website.