“Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion” Oscar Wilde
Rebellion! is a social documentary photography project which explores protest as an essential part of the cultural identity of Great Britain. The project includes photographs and testimony from protesters as well as from those who may have been targeted by the protests. It explores the social issues around protest, such as the fracturing of social cohesion in blighted post-industrial communities, which fuel dissatisfaction with the status quo. The project has been developed in part as a response to the introduction of draconian anti-protest legislation by successive governments.
The project was completed by Davenant over a period of twelve years and includes three of his winning photographs from the Portrait of Britain competition. A touring exhibition of photographs and stories from the project will open in Newcastle in June 2026 and has five bookings so far. The exhibition will be open for new bookings from 2027 onwards and there is no cost to venues other than transport.
In addition to dynamic photography of actual protests, Rebellion! also includes portraits and stories of people at the centre of issues which stimulate protest such as immigration. It is hoped that the inclusion of these images and stories will help foster better understanding and an appreciation that these are individuals rather than statistics. Everyone has a story.
Exhibition details
The Rebellion! touring exhibition has been supported by a grant from Arts Council England
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