Simon Roberts is best known for his monographs Motherland and We English, both published by Chris Boot. But, over the past 18 months, the photographer has been looking at modes of representing the physical, political and social effects of economic change in Great Britain.
“He has witnessed the credit crunch as it unfolded, giant institutions previously presumed to be immovable features of the economic landscape teetering on the brink of collapse, and the country moving into a period of enforced austerity,” say the London Festival of Photography organisers, who have decided to dedicate one of their exhibitions to Roberts’ Let This Be a Sign. “While it seems that not a day goes by without more grim economic news, the current recession has been largely invisible. This is in spite of the fact that the eventual effects of such news – a lost job, a vanishing pension, cuts to social services – are intensely personal.”
But Roberts is not sticking to photography to document the effect of the global economic crisis. He’s also turned to video and texts, and he has even brought together objects such as protest banners, all of which will be exhibited at the Swiss Cottage Gallery in London.
Visitors will also be invited to leave their own messages about how they have been affected by the crisis.
EXHIBITION
Let It Be a Sign
May 05 to July 01, 2012
Swiss Cottage Gallery,
Swiss Cottage Central Library,
88 Avenue Road,
London NW3 3HA
