A Trip to the Baltic
No, not Northern Europe, but Gateshead's Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
Our Heritage Volunteers knew that the gallery was hosting an exhibition featuring South-Tyneside-born photographer, Tish Murtha (1956-2013) and were keen to see her wonderful social realist images in a gallery setting.
We were not disappointed: Tish's work is testament to her empathy and understanding of Tyneside people. The pictures are both documentary and deeply moving and covered aspects of working-class childhood; youth unemployment and the late 1970s Save Scotswood Works campaign.
Tish Murtha:
"My use of photography and my approach to it is based on the conviction that the fundamental value of the medium is its capacity to provide direct, accurate, and vital records of the conditions, events and experiences that shape our lives."
Tish's images were presented alongside those of Newcastle-based Kuba Ryniewicz's more recent and inspirational photography, and they showcased a rich variety of portrayals of life in the North East.
An additional surprise and a special treat was to be found in another exhibition currently on show at the Baltic: Chitra Ganesh's "Journey to the Great Below". This creates an immersive experience which tells the story of Sumerian goddess Inanna's descent into the underworld.
The whole visit was an uplifting one, and it demonstrated the range of artistic responses to reality and myth. Tish Murtha will be commemorated in our Historypin collection celebrating women's lives on South Tyneside.
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