THE people who work on, live beside and enjoy the River Mersey are the focus of a new photographic book and exhibition created to celebrate the past, present and future of the world- famous waterway.
Mersey: The River that Changed the World is released tomorrow, and the exhibition will be opened by Michael Heseltine next month.
The project has been commissioned by the Mersey Basin Campaign, and comprises a collection of around 80 images by freelance photographer Colin McPherson.
The book also features essays from such figures as the late Tony Wilson, among other journalists and writers.
For Mr McPherson, the commission became a long-term project to photograph sites along the entire length of the river from source to the sea, producing a series of portraits over 18 months.
He said: “This project gave me the opportunity to photograph the changing environment of the Mersey and its surrounding areas. The river plays an important role in the lives of the people who live along the Mersey and I wanted to make a record of the changes which are taking place all around us.
“The last 20 years has seen many dramatic developments in the natural and built environment surrounding the Mersey, and while much of what went before, in terms of work and industry has disappeared, the legacy of the past remains in its ever-changing landscapes. It has been my intention to capture the spirit of this evolving landscape and allow people to see the river in a new way.”
Following the book launch, the exhibition begins on December 6 in the Grand Hall at the Albert Dock.
Michael Heseltine, who features in the book and will return to launch the exhibit, was appointed Minister for Liverpool in 1981 following the Toxteth riots. He describes the river as “a generator of wealth, of happiness, of opportunity”.
Walter Menzies, chief executive of the Mersey Basin Campaign, said: “Our book is a magnificent celebration of its past, present and future. Colin McPherson’s stunning pictures capture a unique time as Liverpool celebrates its 800th anniversary and enters its year as European Capital of Culture.”
Before his death, Tony Wilson contributed a piece on the Mer- sey, claiming that “every phase of my life has been touched, sprinkled religiously perhaps, by the waters of the River Mersey.”
* MERSEY: The River that Changed the World, published by Bluecoat Press on November 15.
For details, visit www.riverthatchangedtheworld.com
