Based in Sheffield’s Abbeydale Road, There Is Such a Thing as Society captures the diverse unification of modern British multiculturalism through the images of independently owned businesses, supported by comments from individuals immersed within the community.
This body of work identifies how society is changing through cultural integration, and reflects a widening definition of British national identity. However, the underlying danger of gentrification of urban neighbourhoods threatens the uniqueness of communities. This is why the documentation and celebration of local distinctiveness is important for its conservation.
As a separate part of this project, thirty shopkeeper portraits were taken from Abbeydale Road. Aside from the shop environments, these images convey the actual individuals behind the businesses, and show through a juxtaposition of different personalities how culturally diverse this urban neighbourhood is.
