Futureland Now: A Reflection on Western Economies Through Contemporary Photography - Hardcover

John Kippin; Wainwright

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 184102323X ISBN 13: 9781841023236

Publisher: University of Plymouth Press, 2012

Synopsis

What part can contemporary photography play in reflecting on the dramatic refocusing of Western economies from manufacturing and extraction to service industries and finance? In 1989, John Kippin and Chris Wainwright staged the innovative exhibition Futureland, at the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle. It toured widely in the UK and overseas. Over two decades later, the photographers have returned to their original location, continuing to question the postindustrial, photographic aesthetics and the industrial sublime . Futureland Now catalogues their imagery, which addresses contemporary social issues, while referencing unresolved lessons of the past. Their photographic landscapes invoke the language of the sublime to explore the current post-industrial period of uncertainty and, potentially, seismic change. Nationwide, comparisons have been drawn between the 1980s and Britain s current economic climate. Bleak employment prospects caused by a world recession have created a likelihood of many years of uncertainty as governments wrestle with debt and instability. As previously, much of this shift is felt in the North of England as the region fulfils its historic role as the vanguard indicator for the rest of Britain. In timely fashion, Futureland Now, both the exhibition and the publication, offersa catalyst for engaging debate and the chance to reflect on critical art practices. Futureland Now includes essays by Liz Wells and Mike Crang as well as an extensive in conversation between John Kippin and Chris Wainwright.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Plymouth Press
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 184102323X
• ISBN 13: 9781841023236
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 128
• Editor: Liz Wells