Mutiny

photographer Merlin Daleman embarked on a journey through the economic North of the UK. Originally from the West Midlands, Daleman has lived in the Netherlands for most of his adult life. Driven by curiousity tounderst and the divisions in the UK made evident in the 2016 referendum, he returned to photograph.

Daleman visited over 40 towns and cities from Aberdeen to Bangor, Blackpool to Belfast, and from Fife to Skegness.The photographs give the impression of Daleman as an observer, moving quickly and unobtrusively on foot through the streets. The images show the urban infrastructure of boarded-up shopfronts and rainy streets, canals and bright seafront businesses. The people captured as Daleman passes through are often shown demonstrating their humour, warmth, fortitute and community. My images tell the story of a fractured Britain. The towns and cities that voted for Brexit in 2016 were in my view an act of defiance against a system that ignored them. This is the Britain that London often forgets....I seek to reflect the frustration and resilience of those who have been left behind, highlighting the social and economic fractures that challenge the idea of a “united” United Kingdom. I strive to tell the story of a divided nation—and a story of resilience.