Photography - Mass Observation

Mass Observation was a movement in 1937, thats sole purpose was to document and study British behaviour.  (The main founders being - Tom Harrison, Humphrey Jennings, Charles Madge and Humphrey Spender.)   Humphrey Spender was known for his photography within the work town project, the photography being judged through a theme of difference between the working and the upper class. Spender and other photographers within this group would train from London to Bolton to document the working classes way of life. I find this quite interesting through how the Mass Observation group, filled with the rich upper class would take it upon themselves to document the working class. It seems odd, through how this can be taken harshly with the thoughts of snobbery due to documenting a poorer community from the one in which they came from.

Worktown Project - Bolton

The photography taken is interesting through its' composition and contrast of the black and white image. The use of the foreground of the dogs and the background of the content of the bar, gives the image a sense gradual depth but also how small the area is, in which the people have gathered in to get a pint.
The expressions of the men at the table are quite irritated through one of the mans glance with his body posture, as if to say, "thats enough now". On this table, we are not able to see the third mans face, however we are able to see with in the mirror in the background. Whether this was deliberate or not, it adds to the image. I feel that this creates an atmosphere of alienation in the sense of his body language and the angle of reflection with in the mirror.

The worktown project reminded me of Robert Doisneau's work, for example his "Les Animaux Superieurs" photograph containing a crowd surrounding a trapped monkey with a lead around its neck. (Doisneau's work is well known in France, with a series of postcards containing the most iconic pieces. His iconic images are known to refer to modern society, showing images that would be acceptable in the past and not in the present. For example, kids playing on the road until dark, this would not happen today as society has changed and there are more dangers for parents to worry about.)

Robert Doisneau - Les animaux superieurs 

This image holds a strong thought provoking theme, of  "which is the animal?". The crowd in this image act like flies as they try to get closer to the tied up monkey, a sense of entertainment for the crowd. The images main portrayal is the cruelty towards the monkey which is brilliantly displayed through the gathering of the crowd and the expression of the monkey's face, the outfit placed on the monkey gives off an atmosphere of a sadistic nature, through how the 'Owner' has made the monkey more interesting by adding a costume. It shows how different entertainment was in the 1930s, during the great depression which cost a tidal wave of countless lack of jobs and homes for millions of people worldwide. The great depression just hit before the start of Hitlers rise to power, and the commence of WW2.



references
Context of Practice Lecture notes
http://blog.ricecracker.net/tag/robert-doisneau/