Martin Amis

• Photo Editions 2022
• Hardback, 1st edition
• New

Across the UK, town centres are undergoing a major transformation. Over the past decade, empty storefronts have become an increasingly familiar sight as businesses disappear from our high streets, leaving an atmosphere of uncertainty in their wake. In 2021 alone, more than 17,000 stores shut down nationwide – the combined result of the growth of out-of-town retail, the rise of megastores and more recently a shift towards online shopping, all exacerbated by a global pandemic. 

While working on his previous project This Land, Martin Amis noticed the prevalence of closed premises, and began to explore this phenomenon further. Between 2019 and 2022, Amis photographed closed shops across Kent, gradually building a picture of how British towns are being reshaped by the decline of the high street. From pubs, post offices and bookshops to newsagents and social clubs, these spaces once served a vital role for communities. Focusing on the overlooked elements and architectural details, Amis captures the multiple layers of these buildings as they have morphed over the years, each revealing signs of social change.

Photographed in deadpan monochrome, these vacant storefronts are symbolic of a greater loss: the sense of community and cultural identity these spaces foster. The social spirit of local pubs and daily conversations in the corner shop are just some of the simple but crucial elements that help people feel less isolated and alone. In Closed, Amis presents a picture of the changing face of Britain through the microcosm of the high street. These ghost streets speak of the fragmentation of communities, an uncertain future and the ongoing evolution of Britain’s urban spaces.

Spiral-bound hardback, 240x285mm, 98pp. Tritone printing.

Signed copy.

A slipcased special edition, each with a unique print is available here.

• Photo Editions 2022
• Slipcased hardback, 1st edition with print
• New

Special edition of 50 signed and numbered slipcased copies each with a unique signed print - only one copy of each print is available - choose your print above.  

Archival pigment print on smooth cotton rag paper, image 20.5 x 20.5cm on 25.5 x 22.5cm paper. Book and print are housed in a die-cut grey board slipcase.  

Across the UK, town centres are undergoing a major transformation. Over the past decade, empty storefronts have become an increasingly familiar sight as businesses disappear from our high streets, leaving an atmosphere of uncertainty in their wake. In 2021 alone, more than 17,000 stores shut down nationwide – the combined result of the growth of out-of-town retail, the rise of megastores and more recently a shift towards online shopping, all exacerbated by a global pandemic. 

While working on his previous project This Land, Martin Amis noticed the prevalence of closed premises, and began to explore this phenomenon further. Between 2019 and 2022, Amis photographed closed shops across Kent, gradually building a picture of how British towns are being reshaped by the decline of the high street. From pubs, post offices and bookshops to newsagents and social clubs, these spaces once served a vital role for communities. Focusing on the overlooked elements and architectural details, Amis captures the multiple layers of these buildings as they have morphed over the years, each revealing signs of social change.

Photographed in deadpan monochrome, these vacant storefronts are symbolic of a greater loss: the sense of community and cultural identity these spaces foster. The social spirit of local pubs and daily conversations in the corner shop are just some of the simple but crucial elements that help people feel less isolated and alone. In Closed, Amis presents a picture of the changing face of Britain through the microcosm of the high street. These ghost streets speak of the fragmentation of communities, an uncertain future and the ongoing evolution of Britain’s urban spaces.

Spiral-bound hardback, 240x285mm, 98pp. Tritone printing.

The regular edition of Closed is available here.

• Photo Editions 2021
• Softcover, 1st edition
• New
  
  

“The sheep stopped in their eating and looked timidly at us;
and the cattle, their heads turned from the wind and sleet,
stared angrily as if they held us responsible for both annoyances;
but, except these things, and the shudder of the dying day in every blade of grass, there was no break in the bleak stillness of the marshes.”

- Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Situated on the Thames Estuary in southeast England, the North Kent Marshes are an overlooked but vital swathe of land. For centuries, trade has flowed in through the estuary and the surrounding wilderness harbours a rich history. In the 18th century, plague outbreaks ravaged Europe and ships were quarantined in the nearby Medway. The low-lying terrain provided the ideal conditions for smugglers, as small vessels would target ships transporting goods to the capital, allegedly sneaking the contraband down underground tunnel networks once ashore. It was against this illicit backdrop that Charles Dickens set the early parts of Great Expectations (1861), where the escaped convict Magwitch takes refuge in the marshes. 

Since 2011, Martin Amis has been photographing in the same marshland near his home, finding solace in the landscape through walking. This Land is the result of many walks over the past decade – much in the period from March 2020, coinciding with the UK’s first coronavirus lockdown. Devoid of people, Amis’ images invite a reconnection with nature: derelict industry reclaimed by the wild, grazing sheep and lone birds drifting across a monotone sky. Despite an undertone of loss and absence, Amis portrays a land that is continually being shaped by the elements and the civilisations that pass through it. If we listen closely, we might almost hear the shouts of the night watch over the gulf of time and the creaking prison hulks that once inspired Dickens.

Double hit silver wraparound softcover
24 x 30cm, 76pp
Tritone offset printed on Munken Lynx Rough

A Special Edition is also available here.


For trade enquiries, please get in touch here

• Photo Editions 2021
• Softcover, 1st edition with print
  
• New

“The sheep stopped in their eating and looked timidly at us;
and the cattle, their heads turned from the wind and sleet,
stared angrily as if they held us responsible for both annoyances;
but, except these things, and the shudder of the dying day in every blade of grass, there was no break in the bleak stillness of the marshes.”

- Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Situated on the Thames Estuary in southeast England, the North Kent Marshes are an overlooked but vital swathe of land. For centuries, trade has flowed in through the estuary and the surrounding wilderness harbours a rich history. In the 18th century, plague outbreaks ravaged Europe and ships were quarantined in the nearby Medway. The low-lying terrain provided the ideal conditions for smugglers, as small vessels would target ships transporting goods to the capital, allegedly sneaking the contraband down underground tunnel networks once ashore. It was against this illicit backdrop that Charles Dickens set the early parts of Great Expectations (1861), where the escaped convict Magwitch takes refuge in the marshes. 

Since 2011, Martin Amis has been photographing in the same marshland near his home, finding solace in the landscape through walking. This Land is the result of many walks over the past decade – much in the period from March 2020, coinciding with the UK’s first coronavirus lockdown. Devoid of people, Amis’ images invite a reconnection with nature: derelict industry reclaimed by the wild, grazing sheep and lone birds drifting across a monotone sky. Despite an undertone of loss and absence, Amis portrays a land that is continually being shaped by the elements and the civilisations that pass through it. If we listen closely, we might almost hear the shouts of the night watch over the gulf of time and the creaking prison hulks that once inspired Dickens.

Double hit-silver wraparound softcover
24 x 30cm, 76pp
Tritone offset printed on Munken Lynx Rough

Special edition of 25 copies, with a signed 10x8" archival pigment print on Hahnemule Photorag.  See the alternative special edition available here.


The regular edition of This Land is available here.

• Photo Editions 2021
• Softcover, 1st edition with print
  
• New

“The sheep stopped in their eating and looked timidly at us;
and the cattle, their heads turned from the wind and sleet,
stared angrily as if they held us responsible for both annoyances;
but, except these things, and the shudder of the dying day in every blade of grass, there was no break in the bleak stillness of the marshes.”

- Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Situated on the Thames Estuary in southeast England, the North Kent Marshes are an overlooked but vital swathe of land. For centuries, trade has flowed in through the estuary and the surrounding wilderness harbours a rich history. In the 18th century, plague outbreaks ravaged Europe and ships were quarantined in the nearby Medway. The low-lying terrain provided the ideal conditions for smugglers, as small vessels would target ships transporting goods to the capital, allegedly sneaking the contraband down underground tunnel networks once ashore. It was against this illicit backdrop that Charles Dickens set the early parts of Great Expectations (1861), where the escaped convict Magwitch takes refuge in the marshes. 

Since 2011, Martin Amis has been photographing in the same marshland near his home, finding solace in the landscape through walking. This Land is the result of many walks over the past decade – much in the period from March 2020, coinciding with the UK’s first coronavirus lockdown. Devoid of people, Amis’ images invite a reconnection with nature: derelict industry reclaimed by the wild, grazing sheep and lone birds drifting across a monotone sky. Despite an undertone of loss and absence, Amis portrays a land that is continually being shaped by the elements and the civilisations that pass through it. If we listen closely, we might almost hear the shouts of the night watch over the gulf of time and the creaking prison hulks that once inspired Dickens.

Double hit-silver wraparound softcover
24 x 30cm, 76pp
Tritone offset printed on Munken Lynx Rough

Special edition of 25 copies, with a signed 10x8" archival pigment print on Hahnemule Photorag.  See the alternative special edition available here.


The regular edition of This Land is available here.

• RRB 2018
  
• Hardback, 1st edition
  
• New
  

Martin Amis’ photobook The Gamblers is the culmination of his long-term project photographing at racecourses across the South of England. The Gamblers is an affectionate portrait of the racing crowd, a well-informed tribe of racing enthusiasts, from a quirky mix of class and social backgrounds, who come together to find the next winner. Martin immersed himself in the racing crowds, camera at the ready, often betting himself as he sought his next subject. Despite covering so many races over more than a decade with a variety of cameras and shooting strategies, Martin has skillfully collected his images into a single story. Filled with moments of gentle humour, The Gamblers will take you from highs to lows, through moments of tension to the frenetic and jubilant energy of the holding the winning slip.

“Some of my fondest childhood memories are my regular trips to the races with my father. I loved to watch the horses race, but I loved even more to watch the motley cast of characters betting on them. The stench of beer and tobacco would fill the air, bookmakers’ chants of the latest odds cut through the gamblers lively conversations as I helped my father place his bets. As a photographer, it was a very obvious subject to focus my camera lens upon.”  – Martin Amis

Signed copy. 

In the press:

British Journal of Photography

Collector Daily

Creative Boom

The Guardian

GUP Magazine

Huck

Washington Post

• RRB 2018
  
• Hardback, 1st edition
  
• New
  

Martin Amis’ photobook The Gamblers is the culmination of his long-term project photographing at racecourses across the South of England. The Gamblers is an affectionate portrait of the racing crowd, a well-informed tribe of racing enthusiasts, from a quirky mix of class and social backgrounds, who come together to find the next winner. Martin immersed himself in the racing crowds, camera at the ready, often betting himself as he sought his next subject. Despite covering so many races over more than a decade with a variety of cameras and shooting strategies, Martin has skillfully collected his images into a single story. Filled with moments of gentle humour, The Gamblers will take you from highs to lows, through moments of tension to the frenetic and jubilant energy of the holding the winning slip.

“Some of my fondest childhood memories are my regular trips to the races with my father. I loved to watch the horses race, but I loved even more to watch the motley cast of characters betting on them. The stench of beer and tobacco would fill the air, bookmakers’ chants of the latest odds cut through the gamblers lively conversations as I helped my father place his bets. As a photographer, it was a very obvious subject to focus my camera lens upon.”  – Martin Amis


Special edition of 50 copies with a signed and numbered 10’x8” archival print.



In the press:

British Journal of Photography

Collector Daily

Creative Boom

The Guardian

GUP Magazine

Huck

Washington Post