21st Century Protest Songs

In late 2024 I was commissioned by Super Slow Way to produce a songbook illustrating the work of musician Matt Hill. Working in residency with SSW, Matt composed the songs in collaboration with marginalised communities across Blackburn. I then responded to these songs, producing portraits of participants along with documenting the ambiance of spaces, culminating in designing a songbook to accompany the album.

The songs speak to a gritty reality of hardships and struggles, growing up on council estates, shelters and the reality of how close we all are to having it all fall apart, should the paychecks stop coming in.
What stood out to me though, was through all this each song carries another message - one of hope and of growing through our struggles. These experiences shape us, but they don't have to define us.