Drivers in the 1980s by Chris Dorley-Brown is a new title from Hoxton Mini Press. On a hot morning in Hackney, 1987, photographer Chris Dorley-Brown set out to record the privitisation of Rolls Royce in the city. En-route he became fascinated by the faces of frustration and boredom from drivers on the gridlocked roads triggered by the sell-off. Almost 30 years later, these seemingly mundane portraits, published for the first time, capture a unique period in Britain’s history. The colours, the haircuts, the clothes and expressions recall a particular time and mood from Thatcher’s Britain. Each photo is accompanied by a description of the cars, many of which are now iconic: the Ford Capri, Cortina Mk 4, Mini Metro, the Ford Sierra. This is a humorous and unusual snapshot of a unique period in Britain’s history. The standard hardback edition is available for £12.95, whilst a Collector's Edition, signed by the photographer, can be yours for £45.

Press Release

DRIVERS IN THE 1980s
By Chris Dorley-Brown

Published 4th May 2015
by Hoxton Mini Press

East London Photo Stories
Book Six
£12.95 Standard Hardback Edition
£45 Collector’s Edition with limited edition print and signed by artist

On a hot morning in Hackney, 1987, photographer Chris Dorley-Brown set out to record the privitisation of Rolls Royce in the city. En-route he became fascinated by the faces of frustration and boredom from drivers on the gridlocked roads triggered by the sell-off.

Almost 30 years later, these seemingly mundane portraits, published for the first time, capture a unique period in Britain’s history. The colours, the haircuts, the clothes and expressions recall a particular time and mood from Thatcher’s Britain. Each photo is accompanied by a description of the cars, many of which are now iconic: the Ford Capri, Cortina Mk 4, Mini Metro, the Ford Sierra. This is a humorous and unusual snapshot of a unique period in Britain’s history.

About Chris Dorley-Brown

“Hackney was a fascinating place in the 1980s; a bit old fashioned but full of a wonderful mixture of people who seemed to get on very well with each other. .... It was the perfect place to photograph if you were interested in ‘social documentary’.” Chris Dorley-Brown is a British photographer who has lived and worked in the East End for over 30 years. He trained as a photographer with Red Saunders in the early 1980s and then set up his own practice in east London. He began documenting the area around Hackney, and undertook several public commissions including a project for Hackney Council to photograph every tower block estate in the borough as well as becoming photographer-in-residence at Homerton Hospital.

His 30 year archive traces back to the after-effects of post-war rebuilding, and extend through the Thatcher years, the Blair years and on into the present period of ‘regeneration' that laid the ground for the extensive makeover of large parts of East London for the 2012 Olympics.

About Hoxton Mini Press
Hoxton Mini Press is an independent publisher making collectable art books about East London. They work with a range of photographers, artists and writers to create quirky but elegant books that celebrate the character of London’s most exciting neighbourhood. They believe that books should be beautiful: as more information becomes virtual the physical book is an object to cherish, collect and share.

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