Some 200 unpublished photographs, including striking night-time colour shots, and images made using a very old printmaking technique, make up this new book from David George.
The most significant collection of the photographer’s work, the pictures are drawn from more than 4000 which were created while walking hundreds of miles over meticulously planned routes along the major river corridors of North-East England.
George decided to cover all three main rivers in the North East: the Tees, the Tyne and the Wear. He began at Hartlepool on the River Tees and walked up the coast to Berwick. The Wear was walked the following year, the Tyne the year after that and then the North and South Tyne.
There’s lots of interesting work on display here, but perhaps the most interesting are the monochrome photogravures, a centuries old intaglio method which are rarely seen and have been hand-printed.
By using a method like this, George accepts that the finished result won’t be “perfect”. Instead, the work is subtle yet powerful – it aims to create a memorable record of land which is shaped by industry, and which encourages to think about our landscapes and what they reveal about our society.
George taught himself the method – which is why he says it has seen him end up with a lot of mistakes, but which also gives them a “loose” feeling – with everything looking handmade. Each print from the same plate can be different, with little marks and imperfections that give them a character.
The end of the industrial revolution in the West is the key theme of George’s work, and thinking about how we treat the land. He says it’s not to tell people what to think, or criticise the actions of humans, but just to say “it exists, what do you make of it?” and then open a conversation.
David George was raised in Middlesbrough and has worked for 45 years as a freelance photographer. Currently, he also teaches analogue and alternative-process photography at London Metropolitan University, living and working in East London.
Imperfect by David George is published by MuseumsEtc and is available to buy now. ISBN: 9781912528653
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