The traveling community, illegal raves and anti-war protests: Photography exhibition reveals insider’s view of the subcultures that shaped the UK
Photojournalist Alan Lodge has documented some of the UK’s most important subcultures since the 1970s. His exhibition tells the story of how these movements helped shape the country’s social landscape
Alan Lodge is not just a photographer who specializes in British subcultures; he is one who has lived them. Leaving behind a stable job at the London Ambulance Service, he embarked on a journey with his family and friends, living in old caravans and buses, witnessing the peak of the free festival "circuit." Over the years, he has been an active participant in various prominent counterculture and socio-environmental movements, using his camera as a tool to document his experiences.
Following his photography studies at Nottingham Trent University, where he studied photography, Alan Lodge: Common Grounds: Counterculture & Confrontation Since 1976 will provide an exhibition showcasing his photos. The exhibition, which will be held from September 25 to December 12 at the Bonington Gallery, will present around 80 photographs alongside 35mm slide projections, moving images, and personal archives, providing a rare insider's perspective on these events.
One of the most significant events captured in the exhibition is the Battle of the Beanfield, which took place in June 1985 in Wiltshire. As a photographer, Alan Lodge joined the Peace Convoy on its annual journey to Stonehenge, witnessing firsthand the clashes between the police and travelers. The confrontation that ensued led to one of the most violent mass arrests in British history, with numerous eyewitnesses describing the extreme brutality of the police.
Another notable event documented by Alan Lodge is the Castlemorton festival held in May 1992 in Malvern, Worcestershire. During his time at Nottingham Trent University, he became involved with the city's influential house music collective known as the DIY Sound System. Two years later, he captured what is now considered his most influential images of ravers at Castlemorton Common in Wiltshire.
This event is widely regarded as the largest illegal rave in British history, which prompted the introduction of the Criminal Justice Act in 1994.
The exhibition, Alan Lodge: Common Grounds: Counterculture & Confrontation Since 1976, will open on September 24 at the Bonington Gallery, Nottingham Trent University, with a launch event from 18:00-20:00. Entry to the exhibition is free for all.
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