I love the work of photographer Liz Johnson-Artur. Her shot of a smoke-blowing Linton Kwesi Johnston, is an all-time favorite). You may recognize her photographs in music magazines. But she is more than. Crucially, through her work she has documented the under-reported and often invisible black popular culture in Britain for at least two decades now.
Whether fathers and daughters, boxers in Peckham, street parties, in clubs, in parks, Congolese soukous, brethren, Mos Def, or Manu Dibangu (“Years later I heard he never takes his glasses off. I was to shy to ask”).
Recently she decided to exhibit 1000s of her photographs in London–at a gallery and around markets in South London. She even invited those passing by and viewing the archive to have their photograph taken.
I asked Liz some questions about herself, the black balloon archive, whether the mass media portrayal of black people in Britain has over the last 20 years, and, finally, whether we can still talk about a monolithic black British population.
Here’s her response:
I started taking pictures in 1991, the year I arrived in London leaving Germany. I was on my way to New York–London was my stop over. Growing up in Bulgaria, Russia and Germany, I didn’t know much about black communities in Britain. But finding them right infront of me, I started taking pictures. There was never a concept in my work.. My motivation was to hang out, to see and listen.
Although i have been doing this for almost 20 years, I am still intrigued. Showing the archive in Brixton market is a good way to return pictures to where I took them. People go about their daily lives in the market. So to see them take time out and look at my photographs, was very encouraging. Setting up a small portrait studio enriched the archive and also gave me time to record peoples stories. I am hopping to take the archive around London. Over the years i have covered most parts …
Your question on the representation in the mass media: I don’t see much change. The make up of the media hasn’t changed in my view and in order to represent you need more people who represent.
On her blog you can also see some of her work for magazines. The same goes for her website.
– Sean Jacobs
