After being surprised to read that there was a Museum of London, I was pleased to find a creative and insightful exhibition held on the lower level in this structurally fascinating building.
The exhibition presents over 200 images of street photography from 1860 up to today’s digital phenomenon. This sort of project is great for a new Londoner as you feel much closer its past and what happened historically in areas that you now frequent on night’s out.
Each photo reflects scenes of everyday London life from obscure facial expressions, to ironic situations and public events that record an important political time in the Capital.
The collection showcases 59 photographers and continually shows a film which includes 4 modern day street photographers discussing their work. They talk of their experience throughout their career and how the anti-terrorism and privacy laws are affecting how London is captured in the 21st century.
One elderly photographer named Wolf Sushitzky spoke of his experience after moving to London from Vienna in 1935. His personal project was to capture Charing Cross in both day and night. He was intrigued by dramatic weather changes, people at work and everyday scenes that as a tourist he found exciting and thrilling as he was seeing a different type of life in Europe.
Other photographers, Matt Stuart and Polly Braden spoke about their troubles capturing everyday life in London. They noted that people are more aware of being photographed and now the anti-terrorism act is in place, the police have the right to move you on.
Moving around the exhibition, you could see the excitement in people’s eyes to be photographed and documented historically but the photos of the present day reflect how shy people are in front of the lens.
Paul Trevor highlighted that the new generation of children growing up in London may be the first not to be captured on film. The innocence, playfulness and daft behaviour that only feature within children’s lives may be lost as young people do not hang out on the streets as they once used to.
As we moved into the modern day, there were colour photographs and at this point it seemed quite obvious what is being lost by moving with technology. Digital cameras allow not just one moment to be captured, but many that are then edited and this almost loses that sense of reality. To review your photos of a ‘moment in time’, takes away the excitement of what is developed at the end and almost ceases to ensure that your one-off shot is captured.
This exhibition was a wonderful selection of London life and definitely a visit worth making especially as entry is free. So get down to the Museum of London or look online at more events through http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/. To cherish this exhibition for longer, there is also an accompanying book at www.museumoflondonshop.co.uk. Museum of London also works with The Big Issue.
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