Richard Heeps has been taking pictures of working class neighborhoods in the United States and Great Britain for over ten years. His seductive, highly saturated colours and sophisticated pictorial structures demonstrate a true love and empathy for his subject matter. His images open the doors of Bedfordshire's strip-clubs and show the viewer the burlesque performances of Hollywood, but can also represent cold interiors, still lifes or even landscapes. Co-founder in 2007 of the Bleach Box Photography Gallery with photographer Natasha Heidler, his distinctive style pushes the limits of lens-based photography without the need for digital manipulation. Producing his work from negatives in a Cambridge darkroom, he uses the best materials to produce high quality pictures.
Although he was raised in East Anglia, Richard Heeps was heavily influenced by the United States and the 1940- 1950s American dream : « I visited American bases, I kept magazine cuttings and I followed drag racing. The speed, lifestyle and technicolour is reflected in my imagery. « American » colour is a major aspect to my work, it drives my equipment and material choices. » the artist explains. Fascinated with New York, Manhattan was a recurring theme in his early paintings.
Exhibited by museums and galleries since the 1980s, Richard Heeps has participated in numerous international fairs : « These days I travel exhibiting at International Art Fairs and I enjoy connecting with my audience. I am driven to create something, see how people respond to it and how they connect to it. » he confides.
