Art Documentary

In the late-1960s, the prominence of photojournalism and increased acceptance of photography as fine art contributed to a renewed interest in the social documentary mode established in the 1930s and 1940s. Photographers began to explore how their medium could provide a faithful description of a place or community, while still allowing space for creative expression. Bill Brandt's perceptive photographic survey of social class, The English at Home (1936), set the tone for Art Documentary in the UK. This was revived by later generations, beginning with Tony RayJones's wry depictions of English rituals and customs shot during the 1960s. Certain themes of marginalisation transcend cultures and geographies, making them a major focus of projects that fuse art and documentary.