Mass Photography: Blackpool through the camera

Over the last century many of the most prominent European photographers have photographed Blackpool, including Ian Berry, Alfred Gregory, Peter Marlow, Martin Parr, Tony Ray-Jones, Humphrey Spender, Chris Steele-Perkins and Homer Sykes.  But how do their photographs taken on the Promenade, at the Pleasure Beach or on the sands differ from the thousands that have already been taken there before?

This new exhibition entitled Mass Photography: Blackpool through the camera, curated by German artist Nina Könnemann, combines for the very first time images by these recognised artists alongside material from Blackpool's own archives, other established photographers and material Könnemann has discovered on the internet site Flickr. Containing over one hundred images, this major exhibition examines the image of the town and its continuing relevance to British popular culture, looking at the holiday experience, not from a personal perspective but through the lens of the professional.

Photo: Funhouse Pleasure Beach, Blackpool (1934)