Photographs taken by Chris Killip, one of the United Kingdom's most influential documentary photographers, are going on public display for the first time after being hidden away in private homes for over four decades. The images were captured during Killip's time in Askam-in-Furness in 1981 and 1982, where he documented the intersection between urban and rural life in the west Cumbrian coastal town by befriending members of the local community.
While some of Killip's images made their way into his official archive, he gave many of his portrait subjects the pictures back to hang in their own homes as small gifts. This generous practice meant that numerous photographs remained unseen by the wider public for decades. A recent research project by Signal Film and Media gallery in Barrow-in-Furness successfully reconnected with the subjects of Killip's photographs, resulting in the remarkable discovery of more than 100 prints.
Curated by Phil Northcott, the newly discovered images are being featured alongside the original Askam-in-Furness series, which was included in Killip's acclaimed photobook "In Flagrante." This book documented the deindustrialization of northern England between 1973 and 1985, capturing a pivotal moment in British social and economic history. "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," Northcott explained.
The photographs offer a poetic and important record of a community shaped by industry, landscape, and resilience. Among the rediscovered images are scenes of daily life including children playing, members of the Askam Town Band, young people at the youth club playing pool, and residents on Askam Beach and Shore. One particularly notable photograph, "Boy with Pigeon," was given to Northcott's friend Lee and now features prominently in the exhibition.
Northcott emphasized the significance of finally showing the complete series together. "These images offer us an important and poetic record of a community shaped by industry, landscape, and resilience," he 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 process of tracking down the photographs was made easier by the tight-knit nature of the community. "It's quite a small community, so it's not hard to track them down," Northcott noted. He also shared an insight into Killip's philosophy about his work: "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, who knew Killip personally, described him as "one of the key players in postwar British photography." Parr explained that Killip's approach was groundbreaking for its time: "He led the way in which he would befriend the communities he photographed, and this created the intimacy and strength of his images." This method of building genuine relationships with his subjects allowed Killip to capture authentic moments of daily life with remarkable depth and sensitivity.
The exhibition features an impressive collection of 79 photographs in total. Twenty photographs from 1982 were hand-printed by Killip himself and are being loaned by the Chris Killip Photography Trust and Martin Parr Foundation. Additionally, 59 digital scans are included, which encompass those discovered within the community during the recent research project.
The complete series of Askam-in-Furness by Chris Killip is running at Signal's newly refurbished Cooke Studios in Barrow from September 19 to November 1. This exhibition represents a unique opportunity for the public to see Killip's work in its entirety for the first time since the photographer shared these images with the Askam community in 1982, offering visitors a comprehensive view of this important documentation of British industrial and social history.
