Why do some protests and political movements get reported widely, while others seemed to be ignored? What is the role of photographers of protest - documenters, reporters or participants? Is the nature of protest changing in response to citizen journalism and digital distribution? How can protest remain visible?
In this event, to coincide with the current exhibition at Open Eye Gallery Not All Documents Are Records , and also with the 2014 Trades Union Congress in Liverpool, we explore the changes and possibilities for organising and photographing protest.
We are delighted to welcome guest speaker Dr Simon Faulkner who will discuss the work of Israel/Palestine based collective, ActiveStills. Although its individual photographers still work for traditional media, as a group they have a strong conviction that photography is a vehicle for social and political change, and believe in the power of images to shape public attitudes and to raise awareness on issues that are generally absent from public discourse.
Simon explores how the collective works and their relationship to the market in images of the conflict/occupation, and looks at some of the approaches they've taken: their street exhibitions; their relationship to the J14 'social' protests and protest camps in Israel; and their in-depth projects on social issues, as well was the broader spatial context and other photographers in the same area.
Arrive from 18:00 for a drink, a chat and networking, with the talk starting at 18:30. Note the earlier than usual start time.
The event will end by 20:00 to allow people to head up the road to Fallout Factory on Dale Street where there's the opening of an exhibition of photography of the 1984/5 Miner's Strike. John Harris of Report Digital, who photographed at Orgreave, will give an informal tour.
If you want to look more deeply at the issue of photography and protest please register for a free workshop with Guy Atkins at Open Eye Gallery on 20 September: This Workshop Will Not Be Documented!
Simon Faulkner is the undergraduate Programme Leader in Art History at Manchester School of Art. His key areas of research are visual representation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict/Israeli occupation, and the use of images in social media. He helped set up http://visualsocialmedialab.org, and his next book Between States, co-written with David Reeb, is published later in 2014.
See http://www.art.mmu.ac.uk/profile/sfaulkner or @simonfaulkner2 on Twitter.
All are welcome and it is free to attend but please register below. By choosing an 'optional donation' ticket you will help support Redeye and the wider photographic community. We really appreciate your donation.