Walsh lays bare the issues which confront fair representation, including limitations caused by censorship, complacency, race and gender inequity. A conversation that lands on answering the question “what is conflict photography?”, with an attempt to enlighten our sense of collective awareness and lessening the distance between us and them. 

In this book group, Walsh discusses, among other things:

what is photojournalism and how is the later perceived by a Western audience

politics of representation 

the impact of the historically Western, white, male gaze in documentary photography 

grief fatigue

technology and war 

desensitization and public disengagement caused by a lack of empathy 

Referenced in this episode

The Enough Project

VII Peace Project

Everyday Africa/ Everyday Projects

Verbatim Photo

Drik Picture Library

Arab Fund for Arts and Culture

The GroundTruth Project

Generation Human Rights

A Culture of Safety Alliance

See my Fall 2020 review in ZEKE, The Magazine of Global Documentary, here.

Lauren Walsh Website | Instagram 

Engage with J. Sybylla Smith  https://www.jsybyllasmith.com Instagram @jsybylla and Facebook @j.sybylla.smith

Self described as a painter, with a digital palette made of images, Forman discusses her inspiration, and her background, that led her to create the images captured in her book. The breaking of rules, constraints and the frame is discussed as a quiet revolution found within her works. 

In this book group, Fran Forman discusses, among other things:

The conceptual impact of photomontage

Being a digital painter

Surrealism and cinematic choreography as muses

Defying constraints of one’s medium

Referenced in the episode

Taika Waititi - The Art of Creativity 

Music - Michael Haneke 

Maxfield Parrish 

Fran Forman Website | Instagram

Engage with J. Sybylla Smith  https://www.jsybyllasmith.com Instagram @jsybylla and Facebook @j.sybylla.smith

This book, like England, is generous, respectful and exploratory. The Winter Garden Photograph, which is foundational to the text, is described as a childhood image of Barthes’ recently deceased mother, Henrietta. England posed this query to a handful of colleagues, what to you is a reimagining, an homage or a reflection of this elusive photography? 

In this book group, Odette discusses, among other things:

The Winter Garden Photograph 

Englands’ process using: materiality, gesture and happenstance

a seeding question, and over 200 sprouting responses

the collection of essays contributed by a multitude of English contemporary photo curators and historians

Referenced in this episode 

A Photograph Never Stands Alone by Teju Cole

Hold Still: A Memoir with Photographs by Sally Mann

Memories, Dreams and Reflections by Carl Jung

Odette England Website | Instagram

Engage with J. Sybylla Smith  https://www.jsybyllasmith.com Instagram @jsybylla and Facebook @j.sybylla.smith