‘Atrocity!

Death of a Photographer’, (1979),

Concept: John A. Walker; photographer: Carolyn Davies

Photograph, black and white print, 29 x 19.5 cm. (London: Collection of the Victoria

and Albert Museum).

This staged photograph was a spin off from an art history course concerning images

of violence given at Middlesex Polytechnic, fine art department. Since war

photographers exploited killing for their own fame and profit, it seemed only

reasonable that when a photographer was killed his death should be photographed

from all sides. The event took place at Alexandra Palace, North London in 1979. The

actors were students from the fine art course and staff from the art history
department and the library. After the ‘shoot’, the ‘corpse’ rose from the dead and

resumed his studies.

The photo was shown in the Kettle’s Yard ‘Death show’ in Dec 1987. It has also been

admired by Alison Jackson, an expert practitioner of staged photography.