Atrocity Photo 1979.wps

‘Atrocity! Death of a Photographer’, (1979), Concept: John A. Walker; photographer: Carolyn Davies Photograph, black and white print, 29 x 19.5 cm. (London: Collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum).

This staged photograph was a spin off from an art history course concerning images of violence given at Middlesex Polytechnic, fine art department. Since war photographers exploited killing for their own fame and profit, it seemed only reasonable that when a photographer was killed his death should be photographed from all sides. The event took place at Alexandra Palace, North London in 1979. The actors were students from the fine art course and staff from the art history

department and the library. After the ‘shoot’, the ‘corpse’ rose from the dead and resumed his studies.

The photo was shown in the Kettle’s Yard ‘Death show’ in Dec 1987. It has also been admired by Alison Jackson, an expert practitioner of staged photography.