“A part, bien sûr, Madame Thatcher”
Tate Britain provides “the very best of british art”. This time around, a large exhibition under the title “The 80s: photographing Britain” gives us a deep dive into Margaret Thatcher’s UK, in “a decade of social and political change”. England is one of these few places on Earth where things never change, where keeping up appearance is a national sport, and at the same time where everything is put into question and changes occur, sometimes rapidly and violently. A broad range of photographers have captured the changes that occurred in the 80s in diverse forms, as diverse as the communities coexisting in Britain. From Martin Parr and his critical and sharp eye on the British society to representatives of the black, queer or Asian communities. Famous names are also present, Don McCullin and Chris Killip, the most prominent of them, bring us along to share the lives of poor people in Northern England or the isle of Mann. John Sturrock and John Harris the miners strikes and confrontations with police forces. Jenny Mattews and Joanne O’Brien the demonstrations against war at Greenham Common Airbase. All in all, an overwhleming maelstrom of pictures and tribute to diversity and an evolving humankind. As it was happening under our eyes, and now fixed on film, one could feel it in the air at the time, except, of course, Mrs Thatcher.
