British working class captured from all angles in eye-opening exhibition at Coventry gallery
Northern Soul, 90s street culture and snapshots of diverse working class communities over the last five decades have been put on display in a stunning photography exhibition launched at a Coventry gallery.
After the End of History: British Working Class Photography 1989 – 2024 is now on show at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum until June 16 in the first leg of a nationwide tour.
The free exhibition, curated by writer and broadcaster Johny Pitts with Hayward Gallery Touring, brings together photography capturing modern life throughout the varied cultures which have created the British working class identity in the 35 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Combining unique perspectives and recognisable counter-cultural imagery, the exhibition showcases what became of the working class in the wake of Francis Fukuyama’s widely debated claim that the triumph of Western Liberal Democracy over Communism in 1989 represented the ‘End of History’.
Johny said: “I hope the extraordinary work included offers not only a celebration of the craft and creativity of working class practitioners, but also engages, surprises and inspires a working class audience, and anyone interested in art against-the-odds.
“Developing a show with Hayward Gallery Touring, which pieces together complex and counterintuitive expressions of working class life through the lens, has been a deeply enriching process.”
Rather than the Neoliberal politics associated with the End of History resulting in a lack of cultural expression and alternative views in the UK, the reaction against Thatcherism in the 1980s produced a politically-engaged generation of working class artists.
Among the images are Rene Matić’s portrait of growing up mixed race in a white working class community in Peterborough and Elaine Constantine's documentation of the Northern Soul scene, Kavi Pujara’s ode to Leicester's Hindu community and J A Mortram’s documentation of marginalised people while working as a caregiver.
Marguerite Nugent, Cultural Director, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be the first venue to host After the End of History.
“The exhibition represents the working class story since the Thatcher era told through the lens of working class artists, and offers audiences the opportunity to engage with themes about class and identity.”
Brian Cass, Senior Curator, Hayward Gallery Touring, said: “Thanks to the insights and passion of curator Johny Pitts, After the End of History offers a portrayal of working class culture that doesn’t conform to expectation.
“It features a fascinating range of artists whose visually compelling images challenge the ideals of classic documentary photography while also saying something vital about class, community and creativity.
“We are delighted to be working with our exhibition partners on this project and we hope the exhibition offers audiences a thoughtful, relevant and affirming celebration of working class creativity.”
For more information visit www.theherbert.org/whats-on/1779/after-the-end-of-history-contemporary-working-class-photography-1989-2024
