The Photographers’ Gallery presents Peter Mitchell’s exhibition Nothing Lasts Forever, which offers a touching view of Leeds through its shifting landscapes and inhabitants. Through his distinctive approach to color and composition, Mitchell established a visual record that shows both nostalgia and the progression of time. Three photographs in the collection stood out to me because they showcased everyday beauty alongside historical significance.
Image 1: “Scarecrow, Red Lane, Leeds, 1974”
The photograph grabbed attention through its haunting silence and dreamlike combination of a formal mask-wearing scarecrow standing against wheat fields under misty skies. The composition is simple yet powerful: centrally placed subject, low angle, and deep field of focus that draws the eye through the wheat to the distant trees. The image functions as documentation but approaches allegory by suggesting environmental degradation and isolation. Through its lens, the photographer shows rural Leeds areas, which remain ageless and under threat.
image 2 “Telephone Box, Quarry Hill Flats, Leeds, 1975”
The Telephone Box, Quarry Hill Flats, Leeds, 1975, stood out to me telephone boxes are everywhere in London. The single telephone box in red stands alone against the Quarry Hill Flats background, a demolished ambitious social housing development. The telephone box stands out because its bold red color contrasts with the dull grey architectural elements of the surroundings. The photographer positioned the phone box off-center within the composition while using flat building lines to create a visual tension that symbolizes the scene’s social isolation. Through this photograph, the documentary style captures both the built environment and the historical moment when modernization and advancement lost momentum. The picture displays the raw architecture of Leeds without filters while showing the vanished presence of the community that used to inhabit this space. The phone box, which initially represented connection, now stands as a memorial structure. Through this image, Mitchell expresses deep insights about urban deterioration, memory loss, and the gradual disappearance of public activities, which form essential elements of his complete artistic production.
“Young Bikers, Holbeck, Leeds, 1977”
I chose Young Bikers, Holbeck, Leeds, 1977, because it instantly reminded me of home. A lot of the boys in my family work on cars. The photograph shows young men standing before a worn brick wall featuring a powerful motorcycle mural. The mural creates a mirror-like effect with their identities as though they exist as living extensions of the artwork. The photographer Mitchell achieved his purpose by letting the group pose naturally so the image appears genuine. The combination of natural light, earthy colors, and cracked pavement creates an authentic atmosphere representing the working-class Leeds of the 1970s. It feels lived-in and authentic.
The Londoners
Features a scene from the National Gallery where cultural heritage meets historical significance with tourist activities. A visitor takes a photo of Van Gogh’s painting through their phone, and this image shows how ordinary this action has become in central London. The photograph reveals essential aspects of modern city life. People halt their movements in every location, from museums to streets, to snap photos for social media instead of enjoying the present moment. The photograph demonstrates how people now share digital content above all else. The image demonstrates parallel ideas with the Things Don’t Last Forever exhibition by showing how traditional quiet appreciation and patience give way to the fast-paced culture of online validation. The photo shows the artwork alongside the phone screen to demonstrate the coexistence and conflict between physical and digital elements in current London society. The photograph omits the long line of people who stand behind the main subjects as they all hold their phones, thus demonstrating the widespread nature of this behavior.
Photography In London 