A green & pleasant land

by John Davies

[Cited in Martin Parr and Gerry Badger, The A History, Volume II. (London and New Phaidon, 2006).] From Parr and "Davies focuses on the changing industrial landscape, shaped by the Industrial Revolution and the exigencies of two world wars. Following World War II, this landscape began to change radically, as heavy industry was replaced by newer light industry, and manufacturing and mining were superseded by service industries. Social housing, too, changed the face of British cities, as housing patterns based on the cottage gave way to tower blocks. From around 1960 to 1980, the face of the UK changed more than it had done in the previous 80 years or so. As one practising the objectivity of the New Topographic mode, Davies allows his pictures to speak for themselves, yet by focusing on patterns of land usage, he asks questions about the kinds of political and economic forces that determine the often poor results of allowing full reign to the market."

Paperback

Published January 1, 1987

About the author

John Davies (b. 1949) is a British landscape photographer. He is known for completing long-term projects documenting Great Britain and exploring the industrialisation of space. In 2008, he was nominated for the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize.