The glory days of Butlin’s: John Hinde’s photographs on show in London
John Hinde’s photographs of Butlin’s in the 1960s-70s lead an exhibition celebrating the British seaside at The Photographers' Gallery in London
![Butlin's 1960s-70s John Hinde photograph of people in lounge with swimming pool wall](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/W55qNNji7AG3uqreLBHNjE-415-80.jpg)
English photographer John Hinde’s photographs of the general public at rest throughout Great Britain and Ireland during the 1960s and 1970s capture subjects – from performers behind the scenes at the circus to rural life in Ireland – through a lens of fond nostalgia.
One of his most famous series of works captures holidaymakers at holiday camp Butlin’s, and went on to inspire fellow photographers including Martin Parr, who later said: ‘The impact they had on me in 1971 was intense and they have haunted me ever since [...] as with all Hinde imagery, they show an idealised view of the world and, after the passage of time, acquire the power of a lost dream.’
Butlin’s heyday remembered in John Hinde’s photographs
Butlin's Bognor Regis, A Corner of the Beachcomber Bar
The images, of families rowing boats across the lake, children in the playground, and adults in the ballroom, are occasionaly so idealised as to be almost surreal.
Butlin's Skegness, The Skating Rink and Monorail
In Lounge Bar and Indoor Heated Pool (Ground Level), children drink milkshakes while an underwater swimmer in a scuba mask observes them through the window. In A Corner of the Beachcomber Bar, formally attired adults are served by a waitress in a bikini and straw skirt, while A Corner of the Children’s Playroom is a fairground fantasy.
Butlin's Filey, A Billiard Room
For Hinde, the explicit celebration of joy was key to the photograph. ‘Pictures should always convey a positive, good feeling, something which makes people happy, which makes them smile, which makes them appreciate some tenderness,’ he said.
Related article
'By the Seaside' is at The Photographers' Gallery, London, until 8 September 2024
thephotographersgallery.org.uk
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Butlin's Bognor Regis, The Regency Ballroom
Butlin's Skegness, Heated Outdoor Pool
Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, and written extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys meeting artists and designers, viewing exhibitions and conducting interviews on her frequent travels.
-
Compact creativity: the best pocketable tech tools show that small is still beautiful
These dimunitive devices offer up functionality and portability in every field, from capturing every kind of sound, vision and imagery as well as ways to edit, write and play it all back
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Portrait of a modernist maverick: last chance to see the Jean Cocteau retrospective in Venice
‘Cocteau: The Juggler’s Revenge’, celebrating the French artist's defiance of artistic labels, is in its final week at Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice
By Caragh McKay Published
-
Brazilian island hotel Auka Boipeba offers a unique approach to the alfresco experience
Designed by architecture studio FGMF, Auka Boipeba describes itself as an inn, though it’s certainly unlike any inn we’ve ever been to
By Daven Wu Published