1946 - 2020 by Chris Killip

Chris was certainly one of the key players in post-war British photography: by looking closely and humanely at his subjects and what they stood for, he created a different way of seeing.” – Martin Parr

Grounded in sustained immersion and participation in the communities he photographed, Chris Killip's keenly observed work chronicled ordinary people's lives in stark, yet sympathetic, detail.

His photographs are recognized as some of the most important visual records of 1980s Britain; as editor of this book Ken Grant reflects, they tell the story of those who 'had history "done to them", who felt its malicious disregard and yet, like the photographer with whom they shared so much of their lives, refused to yield or look away.'

A letter home: The early life of photographer Chris Killip

In this extract from 'Chris Killip', Ken Grant explores the photographer's coming of age in his native Isle of Man. Killip's images have come to be recognized as some of the most important visual records of 1980s Britain.