British Journal of Photography shows “the modern face of Britain” in nationwide portrait show

The British Journal of Photography is launching Portrait of Britain, a UK-wide exhibition of 100 photographs aiming to show “the modern face of Britain”. The portraits will be exhibited on digital JCDecaux advertising screens in railway stations, shopping centres, high streets and bus stops around the country from 1 September.

The 100 portraits were chosen from 4000 entries in an open call competition, “envisaged as an exhibition by the people, of the people and for the people”, exploring the UK’s unique heritage and diversity. After Brexit, the magazine says it hopes the show will “provide a reflection on who we really are, away from the rhetoric of politics and the discourse of division.”

Phil Sharp’s striking portrait of musician Dave Okumu forms the cover shot of the exhibition. Also featured are Annie Collinge’s photograph of a young girl attending a Lolita meet-up in Manchester; a portrait from Dylan Collard’s Ladywell Runners series; and David Vintiner’s shot of the London Fire Brigade’s Mick Ellis, who attended the scene of the 7/7 bus bomb in Tavistock Square.

Portrait of Britain launches on 1 September.