Starting Points

Exploring the work of Peter Kennard, with the theme of ‘identity’. My research, response and final outcome.

Peter Kennard (b.1949)

Fig 1. © Teresa Eng
Teresa Eng, British Journal of Photography – 1854 MEDIA LTD (2022), available at https://www.1854.photography/2021/10/in-the-studio-peter-kennard/ (Accessed 27th September 2024)

Brief : Develop a personal response to the exhibition Peter Kennard : Archive of Dissent, in a piece of practical work.

After initial research I visited the Whitechapel Gallery, Peter Kennard: Archive of Dissent. The exhibition was very thought provoking, in particular I was drawn to the bank of faces on the pages of the financial times. They represent untold misery and pain at the hands of their persecutors, who have gained power and/or wealth at the expense of their victims.

For quite some time I have been doing research and artwork around the subject of human trafficking, modern day slavery and domestic violence. It is a subject dear to my heart after escaping from a controlling, coercive and aggressive husband. Although the exhibition is predominantly based on the theme of war, and the plight of the victims of wars, Peter Kennard also references victims of other types of violence in some of his work.

For me the bank of faces represent the plight and stories of the unknown number of people, predominantly women, who suffer at the hands of abusers. The abusers can take any form, male or female (although statistics show the majority of abusers are male), and come from all walks of life. Abuse shows no discrimination. The abuser holds the power, and in the majority of cases will never relinquish that power. There can be huge financial reward in the case of trafficking and modern day slavery. Power and wealth at the expense of others, who become a commodity in this dark and secret world.

My artwork depicts a sinister figure lurking in the foreground. Who is he waiting for, what are his intentions, what will he gain from this intimidation. Is he monitoring his prey, or have I got the story completely wrong and he himself is a victim?

The victim is waiting, terrified, wondering what will happen next.

In the secret world of the abused there is nobody to hear their story, they are forgotten souls who have their identity systematically stripped until they accept that they are worthless.

My research into the plight of the unfortunate victims can be seen in more of my artwork done in the past and for this project, along with the research notes taken from my sketchbook.

My Artwork