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Suburbia 1984-86

Suburbia, my 1987 solo exhibition at the Photographers' Gallery, London, was about those who were doing well in Thatcher's Britain. The full study, complete with a text constructed around interviews recorded with many of those I'd encountered, was published as Nattering in Paradise (Simon & Schuster) in 1988. Mostly the work was done in Bromley where, twenty years previously, the prime minister had raised her own family.

"Meadows is not presenting us with a series of sterotypes, but individuals brought together not only by geographical location but a strong sense of community. It is a portrayal which avoids flippancy yet relies on wit, especially in the accompanying texts."

Alex Noble, curator, the Photographers' Gallery, 1987

The people I met mostly worked in service and financial industries. These were occupations favoured and advocated by the ruling Conservative elite who spoke much about aspiration, family values, the importance of owning one's own property and paying one's way while, at the same time, labelling the striking miners "the enemy within", being dismissive of the country's former manufacturing districts and denying there was any "such thing" as society.

 

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Watching May Queens, Hayes, Kent. May 1986
Ghetto blaster, Bromley. July 1985
Evening DIY, Hayes, Kent. February 1985
Bromley. July 1984
The mounted policeman visits, Bromley, Kent. April 1985
Sunday church, Hayes, Kent. January 1985
25th wedding anniversary party. Farnborough Park, Kent. August 1985
DIY, Hayes, Kent. April 1985
Polishing the car, cleaning windows. Hayes, Kent. February 1985
House sign, Beaconsfield, Berkshire. June 1985
Preparing avocado with prawn cocktail, Beckenham, Kent. February 1985
New Bovis Tudorbethan homes, Shortlands, Bromley. July 1984
Rotavating the garden, Shortlands, Kent. April 1985
Waving bye-bye, Shortlands, Kent. April 1985
Commuters on the way home, Petts Wood station. April 1985
Lion’s Club Santa, collecting, Biggin Hill, Kent. December 1984
Spiderman bedroom, Beckenham, Kent. February 1985
Decorating their first home, Napier Road, Bromley. July 1984
The school run, Beaconsfield, Berkshire. June 1985
Flashcard, word recognition, Hayes, Kent. February 1985
Baston School open evening, Bromley. July 1984
Sunday morning, private tuition, Bromley Common. January 1985
Merrie England & London May Queen festival, Hayes Common, Kent. May 1985
Fancy Dress Christmas shopping, Bromley. December 1984
Silk flower evening, Hayes, Kent. March 1985
Silk flower evening, Hayes, Kent. March 1985
Bickley School of Dancing, Bickley. April 1985
Dancing school, cleaning fish tank, Bickley. April 1985
Slide show, Civil Service Retirement Fellowship, village hall. Orpington, Kent. February 1985
Washing-up. Civil Service Retirement Fellowship, village hall. Orpington, Kent. February 1985
Wedding reception, Hayes, Kent. September 1984
Baston School open evening, Bromley. July 1984
The Bickley School of Dancing, Bromley, Kent. April 1985
25th wedding anniversary party, Farnborough Park, Kent. August 1985
25th wedding anniversary party. Farnborough Park, Kent. August 1985
Reception for the new mayor, Civic Centre, Bromley. April 1985
Reception for the new mayor, Civic Centre, Bromley. April 1985

 

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Bodleian Libraries Links

Bodleian Libraries | Archive of Daniel Meadows, photographer and social documentarist (CMD ID 12752, 17418, 17823, 18768) | Meadows' photographic archive of negatives and contact sheets, 1969-1986, Nov 2014 | Suburbia 01, Jun 1984-Mar 1985

Also:
Suburbia 02, Mar-May 1985

Suburbia 03, Jul 1985-1986

And:
Bodleian Libraries | Archive of Daniel Meadows, photographer and social documentarist (CMD ID 12752, 17418.17823) | Suburbia, 1984-Sep 2020

 

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