The Martin Parr Foundation is presenting "Proximity," a comprehensive retrospective exhibition featuring the work of British photographer Steven McCoy, who has been documenting the people and places of Merseyside for nearly 50 years. The exhibition brings together photographs from McCoy's diverse projects, including images of housing developments in Ainsdale, communities in Skelmersdale, demolition sites in Liverpool, domestic spaces of homes and gardens, and even the archaeological information found in the contents of his vacuum cleaner bag.
Martin Parr, founder of the foundation, emphasized the significance of McCoy's local focus, stating, "Over the years I've learned that some of the best work—poignant and powerful—is made on the photographer's own doorstep. Steve's work is no exception and the exhibition's title 'Proximity' is a key principle of his work." Parr recalled their professional relationship, noting that their paths first crossed in 1978 when Parr was teaching at Manchester Polytechnic and McCoy was a student. Despite decades of quiet and tireless work, Parr noted that McCoy's contributions have been overlooked, making this exhibition at the Foundation particularly meaningful.
Among the earliest works featured in the exhibition is the "Housing Estates" series (1979-1983), which documents the housing developments built in the village of Ainsdale during large-scale construction projects. The early black and white, high-contrast photographs focused on angular, repetitive construction elements, experimenting with shadow and light. The series later evolved into a color typology of identically structured bungalows, photographed under uniform flat-light conditions to emphasize how residents customized their homes with shutters and garden designs.
During the same period, McCoy was simultaneously capturing both industrial and domestic demolition sites in Liverpool and Preston. These landscapes often existed for only brief periods before redevelopment, while others remained unused for many years. Similarly focused on changing landscapes is McCoy's most extensive series in the exhibition, "River to River" (1985-1990), in which he followed the coastline from the River Mersey in the south to the River Ribble in the north.
McCoy's commitment to documenting local landscapes continues with "The Rimrose Valley" (2016-present), where he focuses on a country park that was formerly a council dump and pig farm, later threatened by a dual carriageway development, and its growing importance for wildlife and recreation. In 1983, McCoy served as photographer in residence in Skelmersdale, commissioned to photograph residents and landscapes of the new town that housed overflow populations from north Merseyside. Following an economic downturn in the 1970s, McCoy's photographs captured residents going about their daily lives against the backdrop of neglected urban infrastructure.
Family life and domestic environments have been recurring themes in McCoy's work. His conceptual series "Archaeology of a Carpet" (2003) featured photographs of his transparent vacuum cleaner cylinder as an archaeological record of domestic activities. "Personal Space" (1980-1984) captured families engaged in day-to-day activities at home or in gardens, often using close cropping and unusual angles to create a humorous and affectionate look at family life's quirks. His ongoing series "Every House My Mother Lived in" (2019-present) documents his family's journey through nine different houses and apartments, with each location embedded with memory and experience. This series will be displayed in a display case alongside a film about his mother.
Steven McCoy is a British photographer who lives and works on Merseyside. He has worked as both a lecturer and freelance photographer, undertaking commissions for various clients while pursuing long-term personal projects. Since 1997, he has collaborated with photographer Stephanie Wynne, and their most recent project "Are You Living Comfortably?" is held in the University of Salford Art Collection. McCoy's work has been widely exhibited, most recently in the group exhibition "Home Sweet Home" at Rencontres d'Arles (2019) and Institut pour la Photographie in Lille.
The exhibition was originally curated by Max Gorbatskyi at Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool, where it was displayed from November 2024 to January 2025. The Martin Parr Foundation will host several events in conjunction with the exhibition, including a Proximity Exhibition Party on October 10, 2025, and an Artist Talk by Steve McCoy on November 3, 2025. "Steven McCoy: Proximity" runs from October 2 through December 21, 2025, at the Martin Parr Foundation located at 316 Paintworks, Bristol BS4 3AR. The gallery is open Thursday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Monday through Wednesday by appointment. Admission to all exhibitions is free.
