10/07/12
Martin Davey
Going Underground
Martin Davey (born 1954) has been taking photographs since he was eight. After more than 30 years spent working in the automotive industry, he returned to full-time education in 2009, and has just completed a BA in Photography at UCA Rochester. As part of his final project, he produced a book, Going Underground (Blurb Inc., 2012), containing a series of black and white images of people on the tube.
Anna McNay: In the foreword to your book, Going Underground, you pay tribute to the influence of Walker Evans and his New York subway series from the 1930s/1940s. It has been said of Evans’ work that the subway might be seen as a “prime symbol of urban life.” What does the London Underground symbolise for you?
Martin Davey: Yes, Walker Evans comes from an era of photographers I have been heavily influenced by. I wouldn’t disagree with that statement, but would add to it, because today the Underground is also a great example of cultural diversity, a showcase of how multicultural London has become. It’s the lifeblood of the London transport system, and it’s what keeps London buzzing. I love that buzz.