News

Imaging Famine

(9 August 2005)

An exhibition is running in London with pictures and media coverage of famine, which form part of a Durham University research project.

Professor David Campbell, Professor of Cultural and Political Geography, is co-curator of the exhibition which is on show at the Newsroom (The Guardian and Observer Archive and Visitor centre) until 9 September.

It shows how famine has been historically pictured in the print media from the nineteenth century to the Ethiopian famine of 1984 and right up to the present day with Live 8 and Band Aid 20. The material draws on the themes of Professor Campbell’s long-term research, which has a corresponding website imagine-famine.org

The work examines how famine and its victims are represented and raises questions about ‘compassion fatigue’, iconic and stereotypical images, and the use of photographs for fundraising.

Prof Campbell said: “My speciality is the geography of visual culture and developed the idea some time ago that it would be appropriate to run this kind of show in the 20th anniversary year of Live Aid. The visual images in the media are the most immediate hook for the general public to learn about the scale of problems like famine and become the trigger for ways in which people try to help.”

The exhibition, created jointly with the University of Newcastle, illustrates over a series of 20 boards, how famine coverage has been handled in recent decades including: two photo essays from Sudan in 1998 by Paul Lowe and Tom Stoddart; images from 19th century famines; a gallery ‘Africa Uncovered’ of alternative images; interactive screens with interviews where academics, photographers, picture editors and aid agency officials offer contrasting views on the main themes and a web-site (with supplementary information.

The Newsroom is based at 60 Farringdon Road, EC1. The free exhibition runs until Friday 9 September (Closed August 27-29), Monday to Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 12 noon to 4pm. See also guardian.co.uk/newsroom or call 020 7886 9898.

Prof Campbell is currently investigating the possibility of bringing the exhibition to the North East at a future date.

For further information: contact Prof David Campbell 0191 3341820