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Originally published in 1985, Paul Graham’s famous series, “Beyond Caring,” was shot in the waiting rooms and hallways of social security and unemployment offices across the United Kingdom, documenting the long waits, queues, and poor conditions of an overburdened system, resulting in a series of powerful photographs that convey the hardships faced by the people. Having not received official permission to create this work, Graham took his photos discreetly, usually without looking at the camera, resulting in a sense of spatial disorientation that highlighted the distress of vulnerable citizens. The work shocked many upon its release —leading photographers at the Magnum agency were outraged by the use of color in a classic documentary subject, while others celebrated how it straddled the worlds of activism and art (it was exhibited at both union conferences and the Museum of Modern Art in New York). Graham created a new form of socially engaged photography, blending elements of social documentary, “new color,” and photojournalism to create a body of striking work that remains relevant today. Several decades have passed since they were taken in 1984, but these images have gained significance not only photographically but also as a unique historical record of the unemployment crisis in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s.
Published by Mackbooks, 2021
32.2 x 24.3cm
84 pages
ISBN
Originally published in 1985, Paul Graham’s famous series, “Beyond Caring,” was shot in the waiting rooms and hallways of social security and unemployment offices across the United Kingdom, documenting the long waits, queues, and poor conditions of an overburdened system, resulting in a series of powerful photographs that convey the hardships faced by the people. Having not received official permission to create this work, Graham took his photos discreetly, usually without looking at the camera, resulting in a sense of spatial disorientation that highlighted the distress of vulnerable citizens. The work shocked many upon its release —leading photographers at the Magnum agency were outraged by the use of color in a classic documentary subject, while others celebrated how it straddled the worlds of activism and art (it was exhibited at both union conferences and the Museum of Modern Art in New York). Graham created a new form of socially engaged photography, blending elements of social documentary, “new color,” and photojournalism to create a body of striking work that remains relevant today. Several decades have passed since they were taken in 1984, but these images have gained significance not only photographically but also as a unique historical record of the unemployment crisis in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s.
Published by Mackbooks, 2021
32.2 x 24.3cm
84 pages
ISBN
