Excellent read, Neil! I wasn‘t familiar with her or her work, but will take a deeper look as I am a big believer that photography had therapeutic values. Thank you for writing about this.
I really appreciate the dive into Jo Spence's work. I didn't know much about her. Also, reading the comment section, I appreciate the comment below by Keith. As someone who is generally interested in mindfulness and art as therapy etc., I also agree with the assessment that this mental health epidemic has a lot to do with how much time we have to focus on ourselves. There are other factors, of course, and mental health struggles and conditions are still real, but there is a lot of truth in this thoughts. Anyways, this is giving me a lot to think about it. I am also interested and curious in the book you mentioned.
I credit photography with some role in emerging from decades of dissociation, through mindfulness with the lens and through connecting with the people I photographed.
This is great Neil! I'm so pleased you've written an article about Jo Spence - I first came across her work back in the late 80's at an exhibition I think at the Photographers Gallery (although I can't be certain on that!). I’m a strong believer in photography as therapy both through examining aspects of our lives and from the mindful aspect which I aspire to practice. Another Substack photographer to add to your list is Paul Sanders of Discover Still – who also follows a mindful path.
Going back to Jo Spence, she edited a book alongside Jo Solomon that shows how women can, to quote the book, “use photography to document lives, explore family relationships, record events both life changing and everyday and create startling, positive images for ourselves.” Called ‘What Can a Woman do with a Camera there’s some great projects in there including of course from Jo Spence and Rosy Martin who she worked with. I highly recommend it.
Stress seems to have arisen in direct proportion to how much physically easier life has become. Our grandparents didn't do mindfulness because they were too busy working and raising children to worry about whether they were being their 'authentic selves'. I'm sure they would have choked on their gruel had you asked them about their mental health.
Once on holiday I followed my older brother up a fairly sheer cliff and I was almost at the top when he suddenly said, 'Don't look down'. What? Until then it hadn't occurred to me to look down. But of course, I then did and I refused to go the last few metres to the top until my brother had fetched our dad.
That's the way I feel about this whole self-inflicted mental health epidemic. Stop asking people about their mental health and they'll generally be fine.
So I recommend a course of less navel-gazing, less self-absorption and more physical activity and attention to the outside world rather than dwelling on one's own precious self. The ska group The Beat wrote about all this in 1980 in their song 'Mirror in the Bathroom'. Strange times when pop groups from 45 years have more common sense that government ministers today.
An excellent review of Spence’s practice. I recommend checking out Anthony Luvera and his ‘Assisted Self-Portraits’ (if you don’t know them). It was good to see Spence’s work featured fairly prominently in the 80s show at Tate Britain. I confess to finding her work (and phototherapy) challenging to look at but I suppose that’s the point. I like her sense of humour, her literariness and punk attitude. It’s a great antidote to ‘street’ photography too!
I loved this, Neil. Thank you for introducing me to Jo Spence via this piece. Their reflection on subjectivity felt synchronous this week after listening to the poet Henri Cole being interviewed. He offered that "great poetry should include both humanity and a symphony of language" - reveal something of the self but be created for universal appeal, and always with the aesthetic in mind. Also, your interpretation of cringe has just blew the doors off something more personal, for me as I read Azako Yuzuki's novel 'Butter'.
Excellent article, Neil. I wasn’t aware of Spence’s work and as a big proponent of the mental health benefits of photography, I will definitely look into it more. Many thanks for mentioning my article. 🙏🏻
Excellent read, Neil! I wasn‘t familiar with her or her work, but will take a deeper look as I am a big believer that photography had therapeutic values. Thank you for writing about this.
She is well worth reading, particularly The Final Project and Putting Myself in the Picture
I really appreciate the dive into Jo Spence's work. I didn't know much about her. Also, reading the comment section, I appreciate the comment below by Keith. As someone who is generally interested in mindfulness and art as therapy etc., I also agree with the assessment that this mental health epidemic has a lot to do with how much time we have to focus on ourselves. There are other factors, of course, and mental health struggles and conditions are still real, but there is a lot of truth in this thoughts. Anyways, this is giving me a lot to think about it. I am also interested and curious in the book you mentioned.
Thank you, Manuela. Your situation in Minnesota was at the back of my mind when I was writing this and I hope that some sense returns.
Honestly, that means a lot. And, I hope so, too, but I think it will take a while.
I credit photography with some role in emerging from decades of dissociation, through mindfulness with the lens and through connecting with the people I photographed.
Nice to hear. It’s true, although in my case the mindfulness is almost always solitary.
Ah but you still connect with those you photograph in some way
I hope so ... I should connect more though.
This is great Neil! I'm so pleased you've written an article about Jo Spence - I first came across her work back in the late 80's at an exhibition I think at the Photographers Gallery (although I can't be certain on that!). I’m a strong believer in photography as therapy both through examining aspects of our lives and from the mindful aspect which I aspire to practice. Another Substack photographer to add to your list is Paul Sanders of Discover Still – who also follows a mindful path.
Going back to Jo Spence, she edited a book alongside Jo Solomon that shows how women can, to quote the book, “use photography to document lives, explore family relationships, record events both life changing and everyday and create startling, positive images for ourselves.” Called ‘What Can a Woman do with a Camera there’s some great projects in there including of course from Jo Spence and Rosy Martin who she worked with. I highly recommend it.
Thank you, Lin! She is a total inspiration who is one of the few who transcends her context.
Stress seems to have arisen in direct proportion to how much physically easier life has become. Our grandparents didn't do mindfulness because they were too busy working and raising children to worry about whether they were being their 'authentic selves'. I'm sure they would have choked on their gruel had you asked them about their mental health.
Once on holiday I followed my older brother up a fairly sheer cliff and I was almost at the top when he suddenly said, 'Don't look down'. What? Until then it hadn't occurred to me to look down. But of course, I then did and I refused to go the last few metres to the top until my brother had fetched our dad.
That's the way I feel about this whole self-inflicted mental health epidemic. Stop asking people about their mental health and they'll generally be fine.
So I recommend a course of less navel-gazing, less self-absorption and more physical activity and attention to the outside world rather than dwelling on one's own precious self. The ska group The Beat wrote about all this in 1980 in their song 'Mirror in the Bathroom'. Strange times when pop groups from 45 years have more common sense that government ministers today.
Adjacent to this, Scientologist pupils reenact their family trauma with little playdough figures and dollhouse designs.
Hmmm. I wonder what the cut off age is.
Great article and thanks so much for the mention. 🙏
An excellent review of Spence’s practice. I recommend checking out Anthony Luvera and his ‘Assisted Self-Portraits’ (if you don’t know them). It was good to see Spence’s work featured fairly prominently in the 80s show at Tate Britain. I confess to finding her work (and phototherapy) challenging to look at but I suppose that’s the point. I like her sense of humour, her literariness and punk attitude. It’s a great antidote to ‘street’ photography too!
Thank you and thank you for the recommendation. New to me!
https://www.photopedagogy.com/representing-homelessness.html
I loved this, Neil. Thank you for introducing me to Jo Spence via this piece. Their reflection on subjectivity felt synchronous this week after listening to the poet Henri Cole being interviewed. He offered that "great poetry should include both humanity and a symphony of language" - reveal something of the self but be created for universal appeal, and always with the aesthetic in mind. Also, your interpretation of cringe has just blew the doors off something more personal, for me as I read Azako Yuzuki's novel 'Butter'.
Wonderful. Thank you. I need to check out Butter. Everyone seems to be reading it on the bus!
Wow, super-interesting!
Thanks Tamsin!
Excellent article, Neil. I wasn’t aware of Spence’s work and as a big proponent of the mental health benefits of photography, I will definitely look into it more. Many thanks for mentioning my article. 🙏🏻