MICHAEL HESS

BINGO & SOCIAL CLUB by MICHAEL HESS
March 2011

Around 1pm, every day of the week, nearly 600 bingo halls across the UK open their doors to thousands of loyal customers. But, although they can be found on almost every British high street, surprisingly few people ever see what goes on inside.

In Bingo & Social Club, photographer Michael Hess opens up this world to a new audience. Behind the often crumbling exteriors, he finds vibrant places full of strong characters, quirky details and more than a hint of nostalgia. In his own words: “I want people to feel that they’ve spent a night at the bingo – to sense what it feels like to be there.”

To celebrate the success of the Bingo & Social Club book with photographs from Michael Hess, The Book Club welcomes this fantastic photographer to exhibit images from the book. If you haven’t heard of him yet, Michael Hess’s photography captures the spirit and mood of his subjects, and with his book, has presented himself as one of the true rising stars in the photography world. His other projects include the photographing the UK hip hop scene and images of a controversial concrete housing block as well as work for corporate and music magazines. Across all these projects, it’s clear that Michael’s eye for composition is an exceptional talent and he manages to encapsulate true Britishness at it’s best.

The book Bingo & Social Club was published last November by Dewi Lewis and the launch featured on the sites of some of the top national newspapers, including the Independent. Now, for the first time, this body of work will be displayed in a major solo show at The Book Club.

Come and join us at the private view for a fascinating look into the world of Bingo halls and the characters that hide away among the booths. On show will be a selection of images from the book as well as some unpublished work. Alongside these will be text extracts from the book – taken from interviews and overheard conversations – to add to the real bingo hall feel. There’ll also be a short film in the downstairs basement accompanied with sound recordings Michael took in Bingo halls across the country. Impromptu Bingo betting calls will also be made throughout the night so get ready to cross off those two little ducks and win yourself a signed book!

‘…if it weren’t for German-born-but-London based photographer Michael Hess’s inquisitiveness, the world would, in our humble opinion, be a poorer place.’ Nude