Name: Free Photographic Omnibus, Reportage 1973–1974
Brand: Daniel Meadows

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

CF 910

Colour

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format Books GB

Pamphlet

Format detail

Limited edition

Release date

2023-09-27

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Cafe Royal Books

Tax rate GB

Zero:0

UPC / Barcode

Artist

Daniel Meadows

Genre GB

Art & Photography

Label GB

Cafe Royal Books is a project of artistic exchange between four French artists/graphic designers who live in different cities. It is an online space for sharing and discussing each other's work, as well as a biannual original self-published hand-made zine. Cafe Royal Books has had numerous launches, exhibitions, performances, workshops, and has participated in various events/fairs/festivals. Their work has been featured in press publications and blogs such as ANT Fashion Magazine and Vogue.

1/2 is Laure Boer, Anne-Pauline Mabire, Lucie Pindat and Chloé Thomas. They are based in Berlin, Caen, Paris and Vienna respectively. Despite their geographical differences, 1/2 continues to create art together through their online platform and zines.

Over the years, Cafe Royal Books has showcased their work at various venues around the world including Le Bon Accueil in Rennes and Center of Contemporary Art in Tbilisi. They have also participated in events like C/O Berlin Book Days and Vienna Photo Book Festival. Their unique approach to artistry has garnered attention from notable publications such as Gestalten's "Behind the Zines" book.

Newest Listed Items

In 1972, as a student at Manchester Polytechnic, I began experimenting with ways of doing documentary work with people, not to them. That spring, in the city's Moss Side district, I opened a free photographic shop where I ran weekly portrait sessions for passers-by. I found this way of working as agreeable as the pictures it produced and made up my mind to extend the project by putting it on wheels. First, though, I needed money.

Much of the next year I spent crowdfunding, securing sponsors and applying for grants but, by September 1973, my Free Photographic Omnibus was ready. At its heart was a 1948 Leyland Titan PD1 double-decker bus which I had bought for £360 and repurposed — somewhat crudely for there was never enough money — as my home, gallery and darkroom. Over the next fourteen months I covered 10,000 miles and visited twenty-two towns and cities. Parked up in shopping centres and on high streets I ran free portrait sessions for all-comers, developing their pictures overnight and giving them prints the next day. I photographed 958 people.

The decades passed. Then, in 1997, my bus pictures were 'rediscovered' by the curator Val Williams who created National Portraits, Photographs from the 1970s by Daniel Meadows, a travelling exhibition which opened at Viewpoint, Salford, and it is from Williams's edit of 110 pictures that I have made the selection published here.

Free Photographic Omnibus, Reportage 1973–1974

Books GB

Discover Free Photographic Omnibus, Reportage 1973–1974 by Daniel Meadows. A captivating book capturing the essence of 1970s Britain through intimate portraits. Published by Cafe Royal Books.