From 4 March until 27 April 2017 the Reid Gallery at The
Glasgow School of Art will host an exhibition of work by acclaimed feminist
social documentary photographer, Franki
Raffles (1955-94). Observing Women at
Work presents a selection of black and white photographs and material by
Franki Raffles from three bodies of work: To
Let You Understand (1987-88), Women
Workers in the USSR (1984/1989), and material from the first Zero Tolerance campaign (1992), entitled
Prevalence.
Glasgow School of Art will host an exhibition of work by acclaimed feminist
social documentary photographer, Franki
Raffles (1955-94). Observing Women at
Work presents a selection of black and white photographs and material by
Franki Raffles from three bodies of work: To
Let You Understand (1987-88), Women
Workers in the USSR (1984/1989), and material from the first Zero Tolerance campaign (1992), entitled
Prevalence.
Zero Tolerance was a charity established by Franki Raffles
and Evelyn Gillan, together with a small group of women who came together
through working on Edinburgh District Council Women’s Committee projects in the
late 1980s. It was developed as a ground-breaking
campaign to raise awareness of the issue of men’s violence against women
and children.
and Evelyn Gillan, together with a small group of women who came together
through working on Edinburgh District Council Women’s Committee projects in the
late 1980s. It was developed as a ground-breaking
campaign to raise awareness of the issue of men’s violence against women
and children.
Raffles’ work will also be contextualised in this exhibition
with works of other key photographers including Margaret Fay Shaw [1903-2004],
Helen Muspratt [1907-2001] and The Hackney Flashers, a collective set up in
1974 by Jo Spence with Neil Martinson.
with works of other key photographers including Margaret Fay Shaw [1903-2004],
Helen Muspratt [1907-2001] and The Hackney Flashers, a collective set up in
1974 by Jo Spence with Neil Martinson.
The exhibition is curated by The Glasgow
School of Art’s Exhibitions Director, Jenny Brownrigg, produced in partnership with Dr Alistair Scott,
Edinburgh Napier University who
established The Franki Raffles Archive http://www.frankirafflesarchive.org/;
and with University of St Andrews Special Collections and Zero Tolerance. A
publication will accompany the exhibition.
School of Art’s Exhibitions Director, Jenny Brownrigg, produced in partnership with Dr Alistair Scott,
Edinburgh Napier University who
established The Franki Raffles Archive http://www.frankirafflesarchive.org/;
and with University of St Andrews Special Collections and Zero Tolerance. A
publication will accompany the exhibition.
“This exhibition
presents a significant view into Raffles’ practice,” says Jenny
Brownrigg. “Her work contributes much to
the canon of photography in Scotland, uniquely capturing a breadth of
workplaces from Soviet State Farms to an Edinburgh laundry and most
importantly, the women who work in them. Raffles’ gives these women an
independent voice. Her bold, visually arresting style captures the
workplace and reminds us of social issues that are still pertinent today
regarding equality of pay and equal rights in the workplace.
presents a significant view into Raffles’ practice,” says Jenny
Brownrigg. “Her work contributes much to
the canon of photography in Scotland, uniquely capturing a breadth of
workplaces from Soviet State Farms to an Edinburgh laundry and most
importantly, the women who work in them. Raffles’ gives these women an
independent voice. Her bold, visually arresting style captures the
workplace and reminds us of social issues that are still pertinent today
regarding equality of pay and equal rights in the workplace.
“Raffles’
photographic practice has been virtually forgotten in the twenty years since
her early death,” adds Alastair Scott. “This
exhibition will help give her photographs a new life, and will enable critics
and the public, to start to properly evaluate the legacy of her committed
feminist social documentary practice”
photographic practice has been virtually forgotten in the twenty years since
her early death,” adds Alastair Scott. “This
exhibition will help give her photographs a new life, and will enable critics
and the public, to start to properly evaluate the legacy of her committed
feminist social documentary practice”
To Let You Understand
This ‘is a
continuation of Raffles focus on women’s work. This year long project was
initiated by Edinburgh District Council Women’s Committee. The aim was to
document working women’s lives in Edinburgh, informed by statistical
information about pay and conditions collected by the Women’s Unit. The women
are home helps, cleaners, factory workers, hospital workers. The environments
include Hewlett Packard (both office and assembly areas), Miller’s Sweets,
Burntons Biscuits, cleaners at the George Hotel and in the grand offices of
Edinburgh District Council and at a laundry.
continuation of Raffles focus on women’s work. This year long project was
initiated by Edinburgh District Council Women’s Committee. The aim was to
document working women’s lives in Edinburgh, informed by statistical
information about pay and conditions collected by the Women’s Unit. The women
are home helps, cleaners, factory workers, hospital workers. The environments
include Hewlett Packard (both office and assembly areas), Miller’s Sweets,
Burntons Biscuits, cleaners at the George Hotel and in the grand offices of
Edinburgh District Council and at a laundry.
Women Workers in the USSR
This is an extensive series of photographs Raffles took on a
trip to Russia in 1989, capturing women at work in both rural and urban places.
On a state farm one woman tells Raffles: ‘It’s a big farm. No-one knows how big
it is. It takes up to three days to ride from one side to the other on
horseback’. The photographs show women working in the fields, tending to the
cows; then in the city working in manufacturing, in a saw mill, a bottle plant
and even making a piano. The women, under the then soviet system also took on
men’s jobs, so Raffles photographs women
plasterers, road builders and a railway worker. Raffles’
caption, going with two women road builders in conversation with her about the
life of women in the UK states: ‘One says, “You have people called housewives
don’t you?”’
trip to Russia in 1989, capturing women at work in both rural and urban places.
On a state farm one woman tells Raffles: ‘It’s a big farm. No-one knows how big
it is. It takes up to three days to ride from one side to the other on
horseback’. The photographs show women working in the fields, tending to the
cows; then in the city working in manufacturing, in a saw mill, a bottle plant
and even making a piano. The women, under the then soviet system also took on
men’s jobs, so Raffles photographs women
plasterers, road builders and a railway worker. Raffles’
caption, going with two women road builders in conversation with her about the
life of women in the UK states: ‘One says, “You have people called housewives
don’t you?”’
Zero Tolerance
This was a ground-breaking campaign and charity established
by Raffles and Evelyn Gillan, together with a small group of women who came
together through working on Edinburgh District Council Women’s Committee
projects in the late 1980s’. Raffles photographs for the campaign represented a
new approach. Rather than girls and women represented as victims, they were
portrayed in familiar, ordinary domestic settings. These images were juxtaposed
with stark facts on domestic violence such as ‘By the time they reach eighteen,
one of them will have been subjected to sexual abuse’. Zero Tolerance is now in
its 25th year. They are currently, after working since 1992 with the
original identity, have an open call for a new artist to work with them on the
next campaign: http://www.zerotolerance.org.uk/news/applications-open-creative-practitioner-produce-new-campaign-materials-zero-tolerance?destination=node%2F335
by Raffles and Evelyn Gillan, together with a small group of women who came
together through working on Edinburgh District Council Women’s Committee
projects in the late 1980s’. Raffles photographs for the campaign represented a
new approach. Rather than girls and women represented as victims, they were
portrayed in familiar, ordinary domestic settings. These images were juxtaposed
with stark facts on domestic violence such as ‘By the time they reach eighteen,
one of them will have been subjected to sexual abuse’. Zero Tolerance is now in
its 25th year. They are currently, after working since 1992 with the
original identity, have an open call for a new artist to work with them on the
next campaign: http://www.zerotolerance.org.uk/news/applications-open-creative-practitioner-produce-new-campaign-materials-zero-tolerance?destination=node%2F335
Helen Muspratt, Margaret Fay Shaw and the Hackney Flashers
In a fourth section of the exhibition, Raffles
work will be shown alongside other women photographers. Helen Muspratt, who had
originally been encouraged to take up photography by retired Glasgow School of
Art’s Director Fra Newbery, took photographs of women workers in Russia, fifty
years earlier than Raffles, on her 6-week trip to the Soviet Union in 1936.
work will be shown alongside other women photographers. Helen Muspratt, who had
originally been encouraged to take up photography by retired Glasgow School of
Art’s Director Fra Newbery, took photographs of women workers in Russia, fifty
years earlier than Raffles, on her 6-week trip to the Soviet Union in 1936.
A work from Raffles’ project ‘Lewis Women’,
will be shown alongside a Margaret Fay Shaw photograph. Shaw lived for five
years in the early 1930s with the sisters Mairi and Peigi MacRae on South Uist,
documenting them at work and at rest.
will be shown alongside a Margaret Fay Shaw photograph. Shaw lived for five
years in the early 1930s with the sisters Mairi and Peigi MacRae on South Uist,
documenting them at work and at rest.
Bringing it up to the decade before Raffles
work on women, we will also show her work beside ‘The Hackney Flashers’, who
commissioned by Hackney Trades Council, documented women’s working conditions
in the 1970s.
work on women, we will also show her work beside ‘The Hackney Flashers’, who
commissioned by Hackney Trades Council, documented women’s working conditions
in the 1970s.
The
Reid Gallery/Ground Floor Corridor Reid Building, The Glasgow School of Art, 164
Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G3 6RF are open seven days a week 10am – 4.30pm Access
is free.
Reid Gallery/Ground Floor Corridor Reid Building, The Glasgow School of Art, 164
Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G3 6RF are open seven days a week 10am – 4.30pm Access
is free.
For
further information, images and interviews contact:
further information, images and interviews contact:
Lesley Booth,
0779 941 4474,
press@gsa.ac.uk
@GSofAMedia
Exhibition
Listing
Listing
4
March – 27 April 2017
March – 27 April 2017
Observing Women at Work
A showcase of work by acclaimed feminist social documentary photographer, Franki Raffles
(1955-94). The exhibition features photographs from three of her major bodies
of work: Women Workers in the USSR, To
Let You Understand and Zero Tolerance
(the first photography for the campaign that Raffles had established with Evelyn Gillan in the early 1990s)
(1955-94). The exhibition features photographs from three of her major bodies
of work: Women Workers in the USSR, To
Let You Understand and Zero Tolerance
(the first photography for the campaign that Raffles had established with Evelyn Gillan in the early 1990s)
Open
daily 10am – 4.30pm. Entry free
daily 10am – 4.30pm. Entry free
Notes for Editor
Franki Raffles was born in Salford and studied
at University of St Andrews. Following graduation she moved to Lewis, then to
Edinburgh. She documented the lives of women and their work during travels with
her family in the 1980s across Russia, China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Hong Kong
and the Philippines. In 1992-93 she secured a Wingate Trust Scholarship to
travel to Israel. In Edinburgh she also worked as a freelance photographer with
schools and women’s groups. She exhibited in Stills Gallery, Edinburgh; Mercury
Gallery, London; The Corridor Gallery, Fife; Pearce Institute, Glasgow; and
First of May Gallery, Edinburgh.
at University of St Andrews. Following graduation she moved to Lewis, then to
Edinburgh. She documented the lives of women and their work during travels with
her family in the 1980s across Russia, China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Hong Kong
and the Philippines. In 1992-93 she secured a Wingate Trust Scholarship to
travel to Israel. In Edinburgh she also worked as a freelance photographer with
schools and women’s groups. She exhibited in Stills Gallery, Edinburgh; Mercury
Gallery, London; The Corridor Gallery, Fife; Pearce Institute, Glasgow; and
First of May Gallery, Edinburgh.
·
The Franki Raffles Archive is an Edinburgh Napier University
research project, run by Dr Alistair Scott (Director, Screen Academy Scotland,
a Creative Skillset Film Academy, Associate Professor, Film & Television,
School of Arts and Creative Industries), who this exhibition will be produced
with. The photographs are held by University of St Andrews Special Collections.
research project, run by Dr Alistair Scott (Director, Screen Academy Scotland,
a Creative Skillset Film Academy, Associate Professor, Film & Television,
School of Arts and Creative Industries), who this exhibition will be produced
with. The photographs are held by University of St Andrews Special Collections.
·
Zero Tolerance is a Scottish charity
working to end men’s violence against women by promoting gender equality and by
challenging attitudes which normalise violence and abuse. The organisation
began in 1992 with a series of iconic poster campaigns, with photography by
Franki Raffles, designed to raise awareness and challenge attitudes about
violence against women. Now in its 25th year, Zero Tolerance
addresses the root causes of gender based violence by challenging the social
attitudes and values which permit violence to occur. The team works with the
Scottish Government, women’s and men’s organisations, individuals and
communities, schools, the media and others to address the causes of violence
against women, and bring about change.
Zero Tolerance is a Scottish charity
working to end men’s violence against women by promoting gender equality and by
challenging attitudes which normalise violence and abuse. The organisation
began in 1992 with a series of iconic poster campaigns, with photography by
Franki Raffles, designed to raise awareness and challenge attitudes about
violence against women. Now in its 25th year, Zero Tolerance
addresses the root causes of gender based violence by challenging the social
attitudes and values which permit violence to occur. The team works with the
Scottish Government, women’s and men’s organisations, individuals and
communities, schools, the media and others to address the causes of violence
against women, and bring about change.