Mass observation: this is your photo

Fascinating exhibition at the Photographers Gallery looking at the role of photography in the Mass Observation Archive.

Mass Observation was set up in 1937 as an experiment in social science, art and documentary. It aimed to collect anecdotal evidence from people’s everyday lives and experiences. The exhibition looked at the main photographic studies within this such as the study of working class life in Bolton and Blackpool and the two books which came out of MO on an Exmoor village and British circus life.

In the upstairs gallery the focus moved to more recent projects such as the “One Day for Life” project held on 14 August 1984, to raise money for cancer research which asked people to take an submit one photograph on that day. There is also an ongoing project which issues directives for people to write about or picture a topic.

Review
Telegraph

 

 

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