Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-04-04)

82 4 April 2020I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113

Final Analysis

PeterDenchis a photographer,writer,curatorandpresenterbasedin London.Heis oneof theco-curatorsof PhotoNorthin Harrogateandhasbeenexhibiteddozensof times.Hehaspublished a number
of books includingThe Dench Dozen: Great Britons of Photography Vol 1; Dench Does Dallas; The British Abroad; A&E: Alcohol & England and England Uncensored. Visitpeterdench.com

PeterDenchconsiders...‘ChapelFront’,2020,

from the series Geoff rey Valentine, by David Stewart

Photo Critique

© DAVID STEWART, COURTESY WREN LONDON.

I

tooka Mamiya7 rangefinder
cameratomygrandad’sfuneral.
I wasshootinga reportageon
Britain’sbadweatherandit
happenedtoberaining.I didn’tthink
anyonewouldmind.I waswrong.When
I raisedthecameratomyeyeasthecoffin
waspulledfromthehearse,therewas
audibledisapproval.CamerasatDench
familygatheringsareforcapturing
fun,forphotographingthelivingnot
documentingthedead.
ThemorbidVictoriansdidn’thavesuch
reservations.Theydiedyoung,quicklyand
froma plethoraofbiblicalepidemics.
Infantmortalityrateswerehigh.Withthe
inventionofthedaguerreotypein1839,
bringinga moreaffordableandinstant
methodofportraituretothemasses,the
popularityofdeathportraitsincreased.The
photographshelpedsoftenthebludgeonof
grief– a preciousmementomori.
Womendeadfromconsumptionwere
posedelegantlyreclinedbetweenliving
relatives.Eyelidsofthedeceasedwere
proppedopenoreyespaintedonthemin
thefinalphotograph.Oftenthedead
appearedmorealiveinthephotographs
thantheliving.Theyremainedstill
andthereforesharp during the seconds-
longexposure.

Funeralparlourphotography
WhenphotographerDavidStewartsaw
hismotherina chapelofrest,he
remembersit beinganunusual
experience.Walkingout,hewishedhe’d
takensomephotographs.Whenhisfather
GeoffreyValentineStewartpassedaway
aged93,theopportunitywasreprisedand
Davidtooka tripodand5x4platecamera
tothefuneralparlour.Usingtheavailable
lighting,hespentseveralhoursinsolitude,
clinicallydocumentingthescene:his
father’soverlappinghandswithstained
fingernails,a headshotwithtightlips,the
coffin poisedunderthecrossofJesus.
Photographingdeathgenerallyremains
taboodespiteit beingsomethingthatis
guaranteedforusall.Documentary
photographerscapturethosedeteriorating
onhospitalbedsincarehomesorin
conflict.Artistshavehistorically
romanticisedit withthemundane reality
of death studiously avoided.

Inthisunflinchingimage‘ChapelFront’

thevieweris frontcentre.Thewhitesatin

andcameraanglegivesGeoffreyan

expressionisttwist– reverberationsof

EdvardMunch.

A portraitofGeoffreyinhisgreenhouse

oncehungintheNationalPortraitGallery

aspartoftheTaylorWessingPortrait

Prize.Geoffreyfoundit hilariousand

enjoyedstandingalongsideit listeningto

commentsfromvisitors.Thisimagewon’t

be submitted, because only portraits of the

livingareaccepted– andbesides,David,

whohashadhisworkaccepteda record 16

times,hasa mandatoryseven-yearban

fromenteringafterhis 2015 win.

It is onshowasa 60x48inprintaspart

ofa setoffiveuntil9 April(attimeofgoing

topress– pleasecheckwithvenuebefore

visiting)atWrenLondon,andis asmuch

aboutlivingandofa lifelived– a very

modernphotographupdatinga very

Victorianpractice.I wonderif David

was tempted to take a selfi e?