Make Life Worth Living: Nick Hedges' Photographs for Shelter 1968-72

Playing at ‘Weddings’. The Gorbals, Glasgow, August 1970 © Nick Hedges / National Media Museum, Bradford.

Playing at ‘Weddings’. The Gorbals, Glasgow, August 1970 © Nick Hedges / National Media Museum, Bradford

I have to hand it to whoever is programming the exhibitions at the Science Museum's new Media Space. It's quickly establishing itself as one of the best photography galleries in the capital.

It opened with a joint exhibition, 'Only in England' featuring the work of Tony Ray Jones and Martin Parr.  The work of both Tony Ray Jones and the early work of Martin Parr really shone as great examples of British documentary photography. I found Martin Parr's series The Non-Conformists shot in Hebden Bridge in the early 70s, particularly moving. Martin Parr's book The Non-Conformists is at the top of my Christmas list.

I, unfortunately, missed the recent Open for Business, where nine Magnum photographers documented contemporary British Manufacturing. It was a good fit with the Science Museum's core message and received good reviews.

The latest exhibition, which runs to 18 January 2015, is Make Life Worth Living: Nick Hedges' Photographs for Shelter 1968-72. I've yet to see this one but the few images on the web site show it's likely to be powerful and heartbreaking at the same time. if you've not yet visited this new photography space I'd highly recommend it.

By-the-way, as an extra incentive this latest exhibition is free!