British documentary photographer Sophie Green is presenting Tangerine Dreams, a vivid portrait of the communities, subcultures, and social gatherings that shape contemporary Britain. For over a decade, she has documented how rituals and traditions build connection, belonging, and shared identity. This celebratory and emotive work will be on show as a free exhibition at the Martin Parr Foundation, Bristol from June 4 to September 6.
For Green, “British identity is not fixed; it is continuously being adapted by those who live here today. This complexity makes Britain a rich source of stories and inspiration for my work. From the adrenaline thrill of banger racing, where drivers deliberately smash cars they’ve spent weeks meticulously preparing, to the vibrant chaos of traveller horse fairs, with horse-trading, cockerel fights and social reunions”.
“From Aladura Spiritualist African church congregations sharing hymns and Nigerian dishes at Sunday services, to modified street-car festivals that transform pimped-out vehicles into symbols of masculinity, to Irish dance clubs, British cowboy shows and beyond — these gatherings are a window into the search for joy, meaning and connection. They illuminate a Britain shaped by a patchwork of voices and stories.”
Vibrancy, belonging, and erasure
Amid this vibrancy, Green documents communities under the very real threat of erasure. Council restrictions, diminishing spaces, gentrification and enduring prejudice limit freedoms that once seemed secure, while long-standing cultural traditions risk fading if they are not carried forward by the next generation.
Gatherings that persist despite these pressures become acts of cultural resistance. Photography cannot halt these shifts, but it can preserve lasting records of communal spaces and traditions.
Forging connections
“In an era where love and belonging can feel distant, the communities I photograph offer powerful examples of coming together — forging connections that create collective meaning,” Green says. “In a world fractured by nationalism, culture wars, individualism and loneliness, these practices anchor us in our shared humanity.”
Green’s photographic practice is rooted in sustained engagement and collaboration. Through repeated visits and ongoing dialogue, she cultivates trust, allowing participants to shape their own representation. Her projects unfold over years, evolving alongside the communities themselves.
Idiosyncrasies on the edge of belonging
Her eleven-year engagement with banger racing, alongside long-term work with church congregations, exemplifies the dedication and endurance central to her practice. Tangerine Dreams showcases Britain through its idiosyncrasies, eccentricities and deeply human landscape, challenging stereotypes of British identity while highlighting communities that exist at the edges of mainstream narratives.
Portraits, still lives and graphic details reveal character, narrative and context, while her bold use of kaleidoscopic colour captures humour, vitality, and optimism. “A friend once described my taste as like a kid who ate loads of Skittles and vomited them back up. It’s the best compliment I’ve ever received.”
Shared energy
The work’s title encapsulates Green’s vision: a celebration of shared energy, creativity and the intricate moments that bind people together. Through her lens, everyday rituals, subcultures and social gatherings emerge as vivid testimonies to human connection, offering insight and reflection on what it means to belong in contemporary Britain.
“I hope visitors feel the energy, warmth and shared humanity at the heart of modern Britain.” Green concludes. “For me, these collected moments create a world filled with joy, introspection and richly textured emotion — what I refer to as Tangerine Dreams.” Tangerine Dreams was first published as a self-published photobook in 2025 and sold out within a week. A second edition will be released to coincide with the exhibition.
Life, death, and belonging
“In 2024, I asked Martin Parr to review my archive in preparation for Tangerine Dreams. As we explored my long-term British-centric projects, his encouragement was invaluable. We connected especially over my five-and-a-half-year project on life and death rituals across the UK’s multicultural communities. Martin noted how absent funeral photography is from our visual culture, a view I share, and he urged me to pursue it further, reminding me: ‘Shoot more.’ This project will continue for years, and the show offers a special reveal of the work to date.”
Funerals are central to Green’s archive, and extend the continuum of community, shared ritual and the transmission of cultural heritage. They are experienced as moments of collective solidarity, comfort, and respect. By documenting funeral rituals, Green captures how communities gather to mourn, remember and mark life transitions, showing ritualised practices as an integral part of the wider social and cultural life explored in Tangerine Dreams.
Exhibition Information:
Tangerine Dreams: Rituals of Belonging in Contemporary British Life by Sophie Green
04 Jun – 06 Sept 2026
Martin Parr Foundation, 316 Paintworks, Bristol, BS4 3AR
+44 (0)117 329 3270 / info@martinparrfoundation.org
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