Opening this Saturday 1st August at The Burton, Bideford, Devon, A Photographic Friendship: James Ravilious and Chris Chapman celebrates the remarkable artistic partnership and shared vision of two of the UK’s most significant documentary photographers.
Archie Parkhouse and Ivor Brock moving a sick ram, Dolton, 1976. Photograph by James Ravilious © Beaford Arts.
Presented as part of The Burton’s 75th anniversary programme, A Photographic Friendship reflects the museum’s enduring commitment to celebrating the art, history and communities of North Devon. Developed from the acclaimed publication of the same name, the exhibition brings together a selection of works that reveal how both men documented the people, landscapes, traditions and everyday life of rural Devon over the past fifty years.
Through 15 carefully curated photographic pairings selected by Chris Chapman, the exhibition sheds new light on the creative dialogue between the two photographers, revealing the shared themes, perspectives and quiet observations that unite their work. The images offer a rich portrait of rural life, moving beyond picturesque landscapes to capture the realities of agriculture across the changing seasons. Intimate domestic moments sit alongside scenes of working farms, village shows, weddings and local traditions, while striking portraits celebrate the individuality and character of the people who shaped these communities.
Top: Dick French and family watching the cup final, Brendon Barton, Exmoor, 1985. Photograph by James Ravilious © Beaford Arts digitally scanned from a Beaford Archive negative. Bottom: Moving stock, Holwell, Dartmoor © Chris Chapman 1991.
Chris Chapman (born 1952) has spent more than five decades documenting the landscapes and communities of Dartmoor and the South West. After studying at Torquay School of Art and Newport College of Art under Magnum photographer David Hurn, he settled in Throwleigh in 1976, where he continues to live and work. His photographs are held in major public collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Arts Council Collection and the International Center of Photography in New York.
James Ravilious (1939–1999) moved to Devon in 1972 and became one of Britain’s most celebrated documentary photographers through his evocative record of rural life in North Devon. In 2021, The Burton acquired 135 prints from An English Eye, the landmark retrospective of his work, establishing an important collection that continues to inspire new research and interpretation.
Top: Thatching the Lower Merripit Roundhouse, Dartmoor © Chris Chapman 2021. Bottom: Veterinary surgery, Moretonhampstead, Dartmoor © Chris Chapman 1976.
Through images that are both intimate and timeless, A Photographic Friendship explores the unique dialogue between two friends whose work was collaborative rather than competitive, united by a deep respect for their subjects and an extraordinary ability to find beauty in the ordinary. Together, their photographs create a powerful visual archive of rural Devon, preserving its people, traditions and changing landscapes with honesty, empathy and quiet affection.
As The Burton celebrates 75 years of collecting, preserving and sharing the stories of North Devon, A Photographic Friendship demonstrates the enduring power of photography to connect people with place, inviting audiences to discover familiar landscapes through fresh eyes while reflecting on the communities and heritage that continue to shape the region today.
Winter Flooding on West Sedgemoor, Somerset © Chris Chapman 1995.
A Photographic Friendship: James Ravilious and Chris Chapman runs from 1 August – 4 October 2026 at The Burton at Bideford, Kingsley Road, Bideford EX39 2QQ. Free entry. For more details see www.theburton.org or get in touch at info@theburton.org.