‘Fried’ was an exhibition of photographs produced by the owners, families, staff and customers of 12 Blackpool fish and chip shops.
The primary aim of the exhibition was to value the special relationship Blackpool has with fish and chips, and the caff culture which surrounds it. Blackpool has its own set of aesthetics and cultural traditions, which we find fascinating and are proud of. The Grundy wanted to celebrate the personal touches and hand-made qualities of these small businesses in contrast to the corporate style of the growing number of multinational organisations that now occupy high streets the world over.
Over the course of a year, the exhibition curators visited fish and chip shops across the length and breadth of Blackpool and made a shortlist of venues that they found interesting in terms of style, decoration and location. Those who accepted their invitation to take part in this exhibition range from licensed award winning restaurants on the outskirts of the town, to those catering for Blackpool’s millions of visitors, and the small bars serving their local communities.
It was an essential element of the exhibition that the owners of these places produced the photographs. The curators asked them to examine their daily routines, and the environments they have created within their shops and those that exist immediately outside. Each establishment was given a week to produce their photographs.
The finished ‘Fried’ exhibition presents a selection of over 160 of these photographs, all of which are personal interpretations of the exhibition’s aim, and wonderful images in their own right.
Exhibition Curators: Geoff Buono and Stuart Tulloch
This exhibition was funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.