Fonds GB 3184 CWA - Camerawork Archive

Zone d'identification

Cote

GB 3184 CWA

Titre

Camerawork Archive

Date(s)

  • 1975-1999 (Accumulation)

Niveau de description

Fonds

Étendue matérielle et support

52 boxes; 6 folders

Zone du contexte

Histoire archivistique

Camerawork, previously Half Moon Gallery (1972-1975) and then Half Moon Photography Workshop (October 1975-spring 1981), was a photographers-led initiative whose activities revolved around a gallery space with on-site and touring exhibitions, the publication of the specialized magazine Camerawork, and an educational program combining workshops and seminars with the provision of darkrooms open to all. Camerawork was originally situated in the foyer of the community-based Half Moon Theatre in East London, with the aim of staging monthly exhibitions by younger or lesser-known photographers and with some emphasis relating to the local Whitechapel area.

Among the collective’s early practitioners were Paul Trevor, Mike Goldwater, Janet Goldberger and Tony Bock, who were later joined by key figures like Ed Barber, Jo Spence, Shirley Read, and Jenny Matthews, who introduced Peter Kennard, the well-known photomontage specialist to the group in 1976.

The organisation appeared at a moment when Britain counted only two other photographic galleries: the Photographers’ Gallery, created in 1971 in London and directed by Sue Davies, exhibited more established photographers; Impressions Gallery in York, founded by Val Williams and Andrew Sproxton, encouraged an emerging generation by staging exhibitions in the Northern city.

Camerawork's output evolved to housing a publication and a channel of affordable touring shows, often in laminates sent on tour throughout various venues. The publication challenged readership about perceptions towards photography, reassessing the mediums role within society and often dedicating whole issues to a particular subject. The Lewisham issue being one particular example, when images and press responses to the National Front March of 1977 were examined by the publication. Camerawork evolved around a left-wing ideology and collective, ever political. Eventually, with a lack of funding and loss of organisational direction, the magazine folded after issue 32 in 1985.

Source immédiate d'acquisition ou de transfert

This archive was donated to the University Archives and Special Collections Centre in 2019 as part of a larger deposit of PARC holdings.

Zone du contenu et de la structure

Portée et contenu

The Camerawork Archive contains material relating to the touring exhibitions programme, as well as administrative files relating to the running of the organisation. Records include prints, invoices, cuttings and hire charges.

Also included are a set of papers relating to the 1975 ‘Camera Obscured?’ lecture series, funding proposals, annual reports and proposal letters. There is also documentation of events, including transparencies and negatives of installation and buildings. Typically files include papers relating to fundraising and correspondence, and some photographic material such as prints, negatives and transparencies.

Projects include; ‘Factory Photographs’ by Nick Hedges, ‘Brick Lane’ by Paul Trevor, Martin Parr ‘The Non-Conformists’, ‘Work Stations’ by Anna Fox, commissioned by Camerawork and The Museum of London (1987) and Representing Disability: A day of talks and events (1987).

Évaluation, élimination et calendrier de conservation

Accroissements

Accruals not expected

Mode de classement

Original order as far as possible deposited with the Archives and Special Collections Centre

Zone des conditions d'accès et d'utilisation

Conditions d'accès

Open

Conditions de reproduction

Langue des documents

  • anglais

Écriture des documents

  • latin

Notes de langue et graphie

Caractéristiques matérielle et contraintes techniques

Instruments de recherche

Zone des sources complémentaires

Existence et lieu de conservation des originaux

Existence et lieu de conservation des copies

Unités de description associées

Descriptions associées

Zone des notes

Identifiant(s) alternatif(s)

Mots-clés

Mots-clés - Lieux

Mots-clés - Noms

Mots-clés - Genre

Zone du contrôle de la description

Identifiant de la description

Identifiant du service d'archives

GB 3184

Règles et/ou conventions utilisées

Statut

Niveau de détail

Moyen

Dates de production, de révision, de suppression

Langue(s)

  • anglais

Écriture(s)

  • latin

Sources

Zone des entrées