Photographs of Handsworth, Birmingham taken by Brian Homer during the late 1970s.

Brian Homer has been a photographer for over 40 years, working mainly with public sector clients. In that time, he has also been actively involved in a wide range of arts-related projects. He was part of the original Handsworth Self Portrait Project in 1979 and was a co-founder of Ten8, an international photography magazine. He spent a period co-running the WELD community photography project in Birmingham and continues to carry out photography commissions for clients.

Brian’s images of Handsworth were taken in the immediate years leading up to the Handsworth riots of 1981. The riots were a series of disturbances that erupted  against a backdrop of economic challenges, racial tensions, and social inequality, the riots were a manifestation of widespread discontent. Sparked by issues such as high unemployment rates and police discrimination, the unrest highlighted the struggles faced by marginalised communities.