HOLYHEAD, SEA CHANGE? – Robert Law

Hi Robert, thank you for sharing your on-going project with us. Where did the inspiration for this project come from for this project to start? 

I started documenting the seaport town of Holyhead about three years ago. What started as a ‘new topographic’ series, quickly grew and assimilated the socio-political undercurrent of Brexit. By taking an honest look at the town and its people, it tries to decode the obvious paradox of a town that is a gateway to the EU, voting to leave the EU. This is also in common with many other coastal communities in the UK.

The town has certainly been overlooked as a mere thoroughfare for people and goods travelling to and from Dublin. Current lack of employment and austerity has only compounded the town’s problems, leading to a sense of betrayal, alienation and helplessness. 

But digging a little deeper, a strong, cohesive community spirit is revealed through a shared history of resilience; the kind that is especially apparent in maritime communities.