As a young punk from Broxburn in West Lothian, Graham MacIndoe started out on his creative path studying painting at Edinburgh College of Art. That all changed when Graham developed a serious passion for photography, documenting street life around 1980s Edinburgh, creating intimate portraits of ordinary people going about their day-to-day lives.
Ordinary People
Graham would go out every weekend when he wasn’t in the painting studios at college, taking lots of photographs. He wanted to document the real Edinburgh, the lives of ordinary people in the working-class parts of the city, away from the tourist attractions that is portrayed across the world, places like Craigmillar, Wester Hailes and Pilton.
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
“My photographs were a bit of a backlash against Colin Baxter, who did all the picture postcard stuff. It wasn’t the Edinburgh that I associated with.”
Stills Gallery
Murray Johnson, the former director of Stills Gallery, had started a photography department at the art school. He took Graham under his wing and introduced him to photobooks by Robin Gillanders and Murdo MacLeod. Graham carried his Olympus RM1 with him everywhere, taking pictures of student protests during the Thatcher era. “They cut grants and made life difficult for everyone”, he said. In contrast, he would take photos of young families enjoying amusement arcades in Portobello.
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
Graham has lived in New York for many years and now works as an associate professor of photography at Parsons The New School in New York City. He continues to document the current political climate from New York City, as well as being the long-term photographer for the acclaimed band, The National.
Gallery
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
Photo © Graham MacIndoe.
Share
Tweet
Email
- Article first published
- March 24, 2021
READ NEXT
SUPPORT BCA
British Culture Archive is an independent archive and cultural resource that was set up through a genuine passion for photography. Since 2017, we have supported British photography by publishing and exhibiting works from photographers and by unearthing and giving a global platform to previously unseen photography.
Our online galleries and exhibitions will always be free for everyone. Public support and funding is vital for us to continue documenting and preserving important photography. If you appreciate the work we do, please consider making a donation through the link provided below.