Renowned Magnum photographer Bruce Gilden has unveiled a powerful new collection of black-and-white portraits documenting his encounters across Britain over more than 30 years. The 78-year-old Brooklyn-born street photography legend's latest book, "The Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets," showcases over 50 intimate photographs that capture the unvarnished reality of British life through his signature confrontational style.
Gilden's distinctive approach involves getting remarkably close to his subjects using wide-angle lenses, often employing flash to create stark, uncompromising portraits. His work spans from Liverpool's passionate football terraces to the gritty corners of London's Kings Cross district, revealing people in their most authentic, unguarded moments. The photographer has built his reputation on capturing images that others might shy away from, focusing on individuals living on society's margins.
Despite his fearless reputation, Gilden admits there are moments when even he must exercise restraint. Recounting a particularly harrowing experience during a Magnum commission to document Britain at the millennium's turn, he describes a violent incident at a working men's club in Wales's Rhondda Valley coal mining region. "There was a fight on New Year's Day at the working men's club," Gilden recalls. "One of the muscle-bound young adults threw a glass against the wall and all hell broke loose. I got thrown out into the freezing cold night with no jacket on, completely soaked in sweat just for being a spectator with a camera. I was smart enough not to take pictures of this because I'm sure everybody would have attacked me."
The photographer's fascination with Britain began after discovering Tony Ray-Jones' influential book "A Day Off." This encounter sparked Gilden's desire to photograph British coastal areas, believing they contained exceptional material for his documentary work. Although he never made it to those original beach locations, his eventual arrival in Britain led to decades of compelling photography that would define his relationship with the country.
Gilden's portfolio from Britain includes striking images from various social settings: sweaty, passionate soccer fans in Liverpool from 1979, couples outside London's King's Cross Underground station during the area's edgier days in 2000, and intimate bar scenes in Newcastle captured as part of the GMT 2000 project. Each photograph demonstrates his ability to find humanity and vulnerability in unexpected places, often revealing emotional depths in subjects who might typically maintain stoic facades.
Publisher Setanta Books describes the collection as "a book that sits between documentary and personal diary: a jagged, unforgettable journey into England's shadows, where danger and humanity collide in every frame." This characterization perfectly captures Gilden's unique ability to blur the lines between objective documentation and deeply personal artistic expression.
The book represents more than three decades of Gilden's work in Britain, spanning from his early career through his established years as one of street photography's most recognizable figures. His projects have consistently focused on people existing outside mainstream society, from his seminal work documenting visitors to Coney Island's pleasure parks to his daring project photographing Yakuza gangsters in Japan.
"The Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets" will be available from late October through Setanta Books, priced at £50 for the standard edition. Photography collectors can also purchase special editions that include one of three different 11x7-inch signed prints, available starting at £250. The release continues Gilden's decades-long exploration of social dynamics and human resilience across different cultures and communities.
