Sophie Green’s photograph of twins on a spinning fairground ride at Weston-super-Mare Beach is a vibrant celebration of the British seaside. Taken in 2021, the image showcases the intense primary colours of the funfair—reds, blues, and yellows—with the twins’ matching white T-shirts standing out against the bright backdrop. Green recalls the challenge of capturing the fast-moving ride: “The ride was moving at such a fast pace, I was nervous I wasn’t going to get it in focus.”
The Allure of the British Seaside
Green finds the British seaside visually super-charged and maximalist, with its bingo halls, buckets and spades, pinwheels, and colourful funfairs. She says, “The seaside is nostalgic to all of us. My grandpa lived in Pembrokeshire and we’d go and see him when I was little. The beach provokes this childlike sense of wonderment. It is a space that anyone can be a part of, friends and family, whatever age, whatever background. It unlocks the connection to nature, which inspires freedom and fun. There are not really any rules, and it’s playful – the funfairs, the arcades, splashing in the water. We don’t have many outlets for play, especially as adults.”
Starting the Project During Lockdown
Green began photographing the British seaside during the Covid lockdown, a time when beaches became congregational spaces. “It was very hard during that period to make any work since all of my documentary projects are about belonging, shared heritage, and spaces where groups of people gather. But then I saw on the news that beaches had become spaces to congregate, I started going to the seaside and photographing people there – I hadn’t really been drawn to it before.”
This will be her sixth year working on the project, returning every summer. She notes, “This island has more than 3,000 miles of coastline so it’s a very interesting way of seeing Britain. People from all walks of life can end up sitting side by side and have this shared experience. Everyone’s there for the same reasons and there’s something quite beautiful about that.”
Other Projects and Themes
Green’s work often begins serendipitously. In 2014, she stumbled upon the historic Wimbledon Stadium and discovered banger racing, leading to a decade-long photo project. Her project Congregation grew from observing Black-majority churches in Southwark, while Gypsy Gold started after watching My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and exploring Traveller horse fairs.
She explains, “There are so many stories that are not part of the mainstream social narrative, and lots of ways that people are creating meaning and forging belonging. Relationships and connections are so vital when we live in an increasingly individualistic world and there is so much division. And the more that I explore through my work, the more I appreciate just how layered British society is – we have so many subcultures. British identity is so multifaceted.”
Green’s exhibition Tangerine Dreams: Rituals of Belonging in Contemporary British Life is at the Martin Parr Foundation, Bristol, from 4 June to 6 September.
Sophie Green’s CV
Born 1991, London, UK. High point: “A peak moment for me has been Tangerine Dreams as both a book and an exhibition. It’s my third photography book, bringing together a decade of my documentary work. Seeing that body of work realised, and now shown as a solo exhibition at the Martin Parr Foundation, has been a really significant moment in my career.” Top tip: “Figure out what you want to say, what you care about, and what you’re excited to explore. Devote and dedicate yourself to it. Keep taking pictures. Stay true to your vision and trust your instincts. Seek out novelty, and for heaven’s sake, stay curious.”
