Don Who?

Even though I've been doing my best to become a recluse and hide away from the world in my shoebox type room in Newtown, somehow I've managed to get out and about for once!

The other week I jumped on a coach full of (mostly) not so eager uni students making their way to the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester to visit the eagerly awaited (by me anyway) Don McCullin exhibition*.

It was my first time visiting IWMN and as we pulled up I was surprised at the architecture of the building**. For some reason someone seems to have decided that a museum dedicated to allowing present and future generations the chance to understand war and it's ramifications within an avant-garde monstrosity! Listening to a quick introduction from a museum representative, she explained that the architect had taken his inspiration from a broken teapot, that the 'shards' were there to represent conflict in the air, on the ground and at sea. It was also mentioned that the space inside of the museum was designed to disorientate and confuse the visitor, making them understand more about the 'chaos of war etc etc etc'.

What a bunch of balls! The majority of the visitors will not bother to check why the building was deigned the was it was, nor will they understand about the building's chaotic nature and the parallels supposedly drawn with chaotic nature of war... If anything the way the building is set out and the non-linear nature if the main exhibition hall will put people off and detract from the museum's intentions. I can understand the concept, but it goes way over the head of most (including a lot of the students)***.

The exhibition itself was absolutely brilliant; each section had a filmed piece with Don McCullin talking about that relevant period in his life and enough text to keep even the most avid bookworm's attention. Visually the exhibition consisted of intricately printed black and white images, punctuated every so often by large light box lit images. Also present were the paraphernalia associated with such a long career in photography, showing his helmet, boots, passports and the Nikon F that caught a bullet in Cambodia.

Though in mostly chronological order, the museum really doesn't lend itself to displaying imagery of this type****. It felt as if the earlier years (The Guvnors, Vietnam, el Salvador etc) languished with room to spare, whilst the photographers later work (including his landscapes and still life imagery) were packed in at the end, this led to the feeling that the museum was only really interested in his formative years, packing the newer work in on a whim. Obviously this should definitely not be the case, all of Don McCullin's work is important, it shows the path he has taken through life as well as the way he tries to deal with his demons; surely every aspect of the exhibition is important?

That aside, the exhibition was absolutely brilliant, to be able to view McCullin prints at length and at that size was such an amazing opportunity; well worth the trip 'oop north' and I urge anyone with an interest within photojournalism to get their arses up there.

*To set the scene, before the trip various videos and bits of documentary footage had been presented to the class, to allow them to know a little bit more about one of my favourite photojournalists. Before playing the first documentary, one of the tutors asked who hadn't heard of Don McCullin, his jaw dropped when two students put their hands up (they may not have been the only ones, the class can be a bit hesitant to express anything approaching an opinion at times).


**Someone said it looked like one of the alien ships from Independence Day; I have to say I agree!

***OK apologies for this rather long piece of procrastination. I have to admit that after smoking for many years I'm doing my damnest to give up... unfortunately this has the effect that it makes me rather odd(er than normal) and prone to going off on more tangents than usual...


****Point to note, low lighting, lightbox images and reflective glass in frames are NOT a good combination... bit of an amateur mistake!




















Few interesting links:
More on the show from the Guardian
Don McCullin talking about his photography (also from the Guardian)
Interview with Don McCullin on the BBC website
Audio-Visual show (again BBC) with images and the photographer talking about his work