LUKE STEPHENSON: AN INCOMPLETE DICTIONARY OF SHOW BIRDS

8 Holland Street is thrilled to announce LUKE STEPHENSON: AN INCOMPLETE DICTIONARY OF SHOW BIRDS. An exhibition profiling show birds through a series of meticulous and strikingly colourful photographs. In collaboration with The Photographer’s Gallery, London.

An Incomplete Dictionary of Show Birds is a study of a hobby that to most is a hidden world. Luke Stephenson’s fascination with bird photography began with a simple idea: to photograph budgies, inspired by the formal style of prize pigeon portraits. But what started as a focused project soon led him into the colourful and curious world of bird keeping. Over the past 20 years, Stephenson has photographed a wide variety of birds and met many dedicated enthusiasts—often lifelong keepers—whose passion for the hobby was infectious. Rather than owning or breeding birds himself, Stephenson became a collector through photography, capturing each species as a way of adding to his own visual archive.

British Photographer Luke Stephenson (b 1983 in Darlington, North East England) explores the charm, eccentricity, and hidden subcultures that characterise the British psyche—subjects. With a distinct sense of humour and warmth, Stephenson documents people, objects, and traditions with equal care, creating affectionate portraits of worlds often overlooked.

The exhibition is running from 16th October — 6th December, at 8 Holland Street Bath Gallery, 23 Brock Street, Bath BA1 2LW.