I never knew of the existence of Peter Mitchell (born in 1943) as one of the most important early color photographers of the 1970s and 80s, before visiting his exhibition at The Photographers’ Gallery. His pictures tell stories about life in Leeds, a city he has photographed for over 40 years with warmth and familiarity. Mitchell captures the changing face of Leeds through times, from old buildings being vacated and demolished to new developments, as well as the people who live and work there. His photos show everything from shopkeepers and landlords to quiet backstreets, scarecrows, and desolation, reflecting both his love for the city and his unique way of seeing it to tell the story of its evolution or decay. Often called “a narrator of who we were,” Mitchell documents a disappearing world. He describes himself as “a man of the pavement” and still walks the streets of Leeds today, continuing to photograph his hometown. His photographs are endearing, touching, at times scary about how humankind evolves. Some things remain unchanged however, like this telephone booth proudly standing in the middle of nowhere or this concrete mixer featuring the Union Jack, just underneath a Union Jack. Rule Britannia!
