Youth culture and identity celebrated in exhibition

A new exhibition at a city gallery includes images depicting youth culture across the UK, capturing the "collapse of gender binaries".

The Saturday Town project, by photographer Casey Orr at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry, features 95 images collected over 13 years.

The project was important "as it gives a voice and visibility to young people and celebrates their creativity," said the photographer.

The show includes 35 new portraits of young people from the city who posed at pop-up shoots across the city.

The images were selected from more than 4,000 collected by the American-born photographer as she travelled to towns and cities across the country on Saturday afternoons.

This included two events at Coventry's Fargo Village followed by one at The Herbert earlier this year.

"People use fashion and style to explore their identities, find their tribes and state their values," said Orr.

"The biggest single change that is reflected in my exhibition is the collapse of gender binaries in 2016 – it was a revolution and was incredible to witness," she added.

Some she photographed were people using their chosen names for the first time, she said, "and I have photographed and been a part of trans and non-binary kids feeling seen and celebrated".

"Their trust in me just blows me away every time."

"One of the overriding messages emerging from this exhibition is that identity continues to be central to youth culture in 2026 – and more importantly, even during the troubled times that we are living in, there is hope for love and individuality," Orr added.

The exhibition runs until 4 May.

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