The culture minister Ed Vaizey will take time out from this week’s Tory conference to open an exhibition of work by the Birmingham-born photographer Brian Griffin, described as “the Tory party’s favourite photographer”.
But, as Christopher O’Neil of Birmingham City University — sponsor of the exhibition — says, that accolade was hardly Griffin’s intention. In an email to the New Statesman, he notes:
Brian Griffin was the Tory party’s favourite photographer during the 1980s and his book Work is the definitive 1980s comment upon the corporate Thatcher years. Brian saw this work as ironic, though — he’s very much a working son of Birmingham.
The exhibition runs until 21 November outside Snow Hill Station and at One Snow Hill in Birmingham.
Photo credit: Brian Griffin (all pictures)