Jo Spence Memorial Archive Richard Saltoun Gallery, London
Exhibitions
Jo Spence : from Fairy Tales to Phototherapy. Photographs from the Hyman Collection, Arnolfini Bristol, (18th May 2020 - 20th June 2021) (this print)
Double page from unique artist's book. The image on the right was included in The History Lesson: Self as Image. However, the left hand page presents four photographs that were...
The image on the right was included in The History Lesson: Self as Image. However, the left hand page presents four photographs that were not included in this series but which emphasise the way in which Spence's recent breats cancer diagnosis was beginning to overlay her exisiting preoccupations.
21 images: 13 gelatin silver prints (including one with four images), 4 photocopied images and one colour print.
This important album provides a previously unrecorded version of Terry Dennett and Jo Spence's seminal series The History Lesson: Self as Image (also known as Remodelling Photo History).
In addition to containing key images from the series, the album marries them to related images. These additional images have the effect of deepening the autobiographical dimension of the series. In so doing, the album, represents one of the very first instances in which Spence foregrounds her breast cancer as a subject. Representing a pivotal moment, this album anticipates the future direction of Spence's work by marrying Remodelling Photo History to her subsequent series Remodelling Medical History and A Picture of Health.