Press Releases

No Such Thing as Society

A new exhibition at National Museum Cardiff focusing on photography from 1967-1987

The work of Diane Arbus has attracted many new and existing visitors to National Museum Cardiff in its first two months. Continuing the theme of photography, names such as Keith Arnatt, Daniel Meadows, Peter Fraser, Phillip Jones Griffiths and Martin Parr will be under the spotlight at the National Museum with the opening of No Such Thing as Society from the British Council and Arts Council Collection and toured by Hayward Touring.

"...society? There is no such thing. There are individual men and women and there are families." The exhibition, which will run from Saturday 4 July - 4 October 2009, takes its name from this famous quote by Margaret Thatcher which she gave to Women's Own magazine in 1987.

British society, from the late 1960s until the late 1980s, was in a state of unrest and transition, witnessing the effects of de-industrialisation and the rise of Thatcherism, the miners' strikes and conflict in Northern Ireland as well as radical shifts in the structure of society itself. No Such Thing as Society serves as a witness to these times.

The show features 100 works by 33 documentary photographers including Ron McCormick's depiction of Newport Docks in 1977, work by Welsh photojournalist Philip Jones Griffiths and photographs by Tintern based Keith Arnatt who became an internationally recognised figure. These Welsh associations reflect the impact of the photography scene in Wales at the time, on artists across the country.

"Wales played an integral part in the progression of photography in Britain," said David Alan Mellor, Professor of Art History at the University of Sussex who curated No Such Thing as Society. "Ffotogallery in Cardiff took the lead in commissioning photographers."

Also displaying works by Victor Burgin, Peter Fraser, Paul Graham, Brian Griffin and Chris Killip, the exhibition starts at the end of the 1960s, a time when Pop Art had cemented photography's place in contemporary culture. At this moment the Arts Council of Great Britain began to commission and collect documentary photography, capturing the changing times. The British Council continued this trend in the early 80s, collecting new colour photography of the decade's unique social scene.

The show is divided chronologically into six themes which reflect contrasting aspects of society at the time. A Social Carnival (1967-75) shows the British at play from all points of the class spectrum, in sea-front beauty contests, Maypole dances, and at the races at Ascot. Portrait and Place (1973-77) is a record of differences in society in 1970s, from industrial workers to representatives of youth culture. Ethnicity, Community and Street (1972-80) explores the nation's sense of place and belonging during this period, documenting race tensions through National Front racist graffiti and in contrast, an image of a proud Asian matriarch at her home in Birmingham.

Beth McIntyre, Curator, Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales added: "We're delighted that we're able to showcase works by such influential artists, many of which have close connections with Wales. Martin Parr and Daniel Meadows, who are today recognised figures in higher education in Wales, emerged during the rise of independent art photography in Britain during the 1970s. The exhibition highlights not only Wales' involvement in the history of the art form but also its impact on the present day."

No Such Thing as Society is the first collaboration between the British Council and Arts Council Collections.

National Museum Cardiff is one of Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales' seven national museums. The others are St Fagans: National History Museum, the National Roman Legion Museum, Big Pit: National Coal Museum, the National Wool Museum, the National Slate Museum and the National Waterfront Museum.

Entry to this exhibition and the Museum is free thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government. In addition, Diane Arbus - part of the ARTIST ROOMS tour - is open until 31 August 2009.

Ends

For more information, please contact Catrin Mears, Communications Officer on 029 2057 3185/07920 027067 or email catrin.mears@museumwales.ac.uk.

Images attached:

• Daniel Meadows: Portsmouth: John Payne, aged 12, with two friends and his pigeon, Chequer, 26 April 1974. Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre © Daniel Meadows 1974

• Ron McCormick: Newport Docks, 1977. Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre © the artist, 2007

Note to Editors:

• Exhibition artists: Keith Arnatt, John Benton-Harris, Ian Berry, Derek Boshier, Victor Burgin, Vanley Burke, David Butterworth, Ian Dobbie, Tarik Chawdry, David Chadwick, John Davies, Peter Fraser, Paul Graham, Brian Griffin, Alexis Hunter, Philip Jones-Griffiths, Chris Killip, Bob Long, Markéta Luska?ová, Peter Marlow, Ron McCormick, Daniel Meadows, Peter Mitchell, Tish Murtha, Martin Parr, Gilles Peress, Tony Ray-Jones, Jergen Schadeberg, Graham Smith, Chris Steele-Perkins, Paul Trevor, Homer Sykes and Christine Voge.

• No Such Thing as Society is a joint collaboration between the British Council and Arts Council Collection and is toured by Hayward Touring

• The Arts Council Collection is the largest national loan collection of modern and contemporary British art. With over 7,500 works it can be seen in public exhibitions and displays across the UK and abroad. For further information please visit www.artscouncilcollection.org.uk.

• For more than 60 years the British Council has been collecting works of art, craft and design to promote abroad the achievements of our artists, craft practitioners and designers. The collection, started in the late 1930s, with a modest group of works on paper has now grown to a collection of more than 8000 works covering all media and all aspects of British art and design of the 20th and 21st centuries.

• For over 35 years, The Hayward has a played a key role in creating imaginative, high profile exhibitions in London and within the UK through Hayward Touring. The touring programme and the Arts Council Collection are managed by The Hayward on behalf of Arts Council England, and add to the Hayward's distinctive national remit.

• The Hayward is a constituent part of the Southbank Centre which manages the Royal Festival Hall, The Hayward, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room, as well as the Saison Poetry Library, the Arts Council Collection and Hayward Touring Exhibitions on behalf of Arts Council England. It attracts more than 3 million visits annually. The Royal Festival Hall reopened in June 2007 following a major refurbishment of the Hall and redevelopment of the surrounding area and facilities.

Tour continues: For more information about upcoming venues for this exhibition please check: www.southbankcentre.co.uk/visual-arts/hayward-touring/current

Public enquiries about Hayward Touring exhibitions: 020 7921 0837