Beyond The Family Album
An exhibition of text and images by Jo Spence/Photography Workshop. An ex-‘professional’ photographer looks at her own private family pictures and discusses the social and economic history that they hide. A look, also, at some of the public visual stereotypes offered to women, which are then parodied in order to examine their validity. This exhibition raises the crucial (political) question of “who represents whom and for what purpose, in our society?”. This exhibition was originally presented as part of the Arts Council exhibition “Three Perspectives on Photography” shown at the Hayward Gallery in June/July 1979.
The exhibition consists of 30 laminated card panels (approx. 20 in x 30 in) and case.
As of 2024 slides of 21 panels of the exhibition have been found originally numbered in the following order.
The exhibition was shown at the Welcome Institute in 2019.
It has since been shown in Women in Revolt! at Tate Britain in 2023-4. The exhibition now belongs to MACBA Collection. MACBA Foundation. A few copies were made into A4 size and laminated.
Jo wrote about her work in Spare Rib Magazine Issue 68 in March 1978 before it was displayed in the Hayward exhibition.
Cockpit Gallery Exhibitions & Cultural Studies projects 1973-89 