Abstract

Abstract: This paper discusses the photographic representation of disaster in the minority world. It argues that the international image economy has a strong influence on the content of the images produced; this is demonstrated through the analysis of Mekanic Philipos’s image as published in the UK at the end of May 2003. The paper critically analyses images of a recent trip by Bob Geldof to Ethiopia in relation to the trade of photographs of the majority world in the international image economy, the photographer’s ethnicity, issues of power, ethics and style and a particular public face of development.

The Picture Economy, Indigenous Photography and the Majority World was presented in Addis Ababa in July 2003 and at theTourism & Photography: Still Visions - Changing Lives International Conference, Sheffield, 20 July 2003. A shortened version of the paper was published in the Journal of International Development, J. Int. Dev. 16, 1–12 (2004)
Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com).

The Paper was made possible by a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship.

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CHINA, PHOTOGRAPHY & FAMINE: A CRITICAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHINESE PHOTOGRAPHIC CULTURE AND IT'S REPRESENTATION OF THE PERIOD 1958-1962

Abstract

Soon after the invention of photography in 1839 western photographers arrived in China to document what they regarded as an accessible exotic culture. In a period of strong western influence, photography was soon adopted and in 1859 the first Chinese photography society formed. In the first half of the 20th century as China entered a sustained period of political instability and war, so photography became a key propaganda weapon that led to a controlled proliferation of the art. During the first eight years of the Peoples Republic of China, photography was strictly controlled as the country struggled to regain economic stability. In 1957, as part of liberalisation initiative, photography was once again promoted as a worthy amateur pursuit and two new magazines were launched to this end.

After the failed economic experiment of the “Great Leap Forward” and a simultaneous cessation of aid from the Soviet Union, China plunged into a four year period of severe famine that left between 15 and 60 million dead. The previous years promotion campaigns meant that both photographers and cameras were numerous in China at the time yet the famine passed almost completely unrecorded.

In 2003, following the SARS epidemic, 100 Chinese photographers came together to publish a book documenting every aspect of the fight against the disease. Photographic culture had evidently changed considerably over the past 40 years.

This paper AIMS to,

1./ Document the development of Chinese photographic culture from it’s introduction to the present day outlining key events, exhibitions and the relationship to political reform.

2./ Critically evaluate the photographic representation of the 1959-61 famine in relation to the photographic culture of the period.

3./ Discuss the relationship between famine and photography asking the question what would have happened if the 1958-62 famine in China been photographed.

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