2017 was the year the battle jacket became high culture, as an exhibition devoted to their history and the art of the jacket opened in London.
“I want people to start to see connections between metal imagery and historic cultures,” said the exhibition’s curator, Tom Cardwell, “to realise that it’s not only a contemporary genre. For me, the jackets themselves are incredible objects that show skill, dedication and commitment from their makers.”
Indeed they do. So we ventured into the Download paddocks to capture some of this artistry on home turf. And we weren’t disappointed.
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Download 2016: Patchwatch Photo Gallery
