Documentary photographer Polly Braden's new touring exhibition, 'Against the Tide', captures the lives of young people in coastal communities across England and Wales. The project, produced in collaboration with the Guardian's Seascape section, focuses on 16- to 25-year-olds growing up on the 'neglected fringes' of the island nation.
Braden was inspired by a landmark report on the poor health of coastal residents and her own experience as a single mother of teenagers. She wanted to challenge stereotypes of young people as 'lazy or disengaged' and instead highlight their 'creativity, resilience and care of their community'.
The exhibition opens at Arnolfini gallery in Bristol in June and moves to Firstsite gallery in Colchester in October. Highlights include a photograph of Libby from Whitehaven, holding oranges on a beach under a gloomy sky with a faint rainbow, and Cohen from Grimsby dressed as an Easter bunny—a mascot business he started after struggling to find local employment.
Another image shows Jake, Keane and Charlie on a wall in Scarborough, looking away from the coast. Braden notes the photo's 'momentum' and 'trepidation', as viewers wonder what lies beyond the wall. The exhibition also features postcards created by young people at workshops, sharing messages about growing up in their areas.
Braden, who won the Guardian young photographer of the year award in 2002, has exhibited globally. The project is funded by the Arts Council and marks the culmination of over a year of work.
