Unseen Vintage Street Photographs
Online Exhibition: 24th September – 1st November 2024. Available to view here
The Centre for British Photography is pleased to present an exciting online exhibition of Shirley Baker’s images, offering a fresh perspective on her work. Taking its name from a recurring motif in Lemn Sissay’s poem Flags, Pavement Cracks unveils previously unseen images captured by Shirley, taken in and around Manchester.
With a view to deepening our understanding of Shirley’s work, the Centre’s director, James Hyman collaborated with Nan Levy, Shirley Baker’s daughter, to bring this online show to fruition. The newly revealed photographs provide new insights into her street scenes, images primarily depicting children playing together in the streets during the 1960s. The photos reveal just how diverse the population was at this time.
In each image, Shirley intertwines the city’s fabric with memory and emotion, immersing the subject in the busy life of the street.
Poet Lemn Sissay’s connection with Manchester is legendary, and his words are, quite literally, carved into its streets. Lines from the updated version of his poem Flags can be found along Tib Street between Market Street and Swan Street, where they were originally etched into the pavement flagstones in 1998. The streets, and the cracks in the pavements are places of both play and of drama.
“Like us they hold the people of a modern earth this world between the windswept flags”
These works are from the classic period of Shirley’s work and the majority are being exhibited here for the first time. All of them come directly from the photographer’s estate and are available for sale. Prices range from £2,000 to £2,800. An illustrated catalogue is available in PDF form.
The exhibition is available to view at the Centre for British Photography
