In 1969 and 1970 a revolution took place in the pages of Architectural Review. An ambitious survey of architecture and town planning in late 1960s Britain, called Manplan, used photographic work by leading photojournalists and street photographers to powerfully articulate the theme of each issue.
Although photography had been integral to Architectural Review since the 1930s, the images that defined Manplan were like nothing that had been seen in the magazine before. The dramatic black and white images, shot on a 35mm camera with a spirit of photo-reportage, created a strong visual statement to support the text of each edition, with themes such as 'Religion', 'Health and welfare', 'Frustration' and 'Education'.
Unusually for the time, people were shown front and centre in the built environment – shifting the focus away from the architecture itself to the way people lived and used the social spaces being studied.
Over eight issues of Architectural Review, the overall message of Manplan was powerful, uncompromising and highly critical of contemporary living conditions. Many of the themes highlighted by the series are still relevant today.
The exhibition A Brief Revolution features works by photographers Ian Berry, Patrick Ward, Tim Street-Porter and Tony Ray-Jones, and the words and designs of Manplan editor Tim Rock and designers Michael Reid and Peter Baistow.
The exhibition is realised in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and curated by Valeria Carullo, curator, The Robert Elwall Photographs Collection, RIBA British Architectural Library. An expanded version of the exhibition will open at the Royal Institute of British Architects in September 2023, featuring c.80 of the original photographs commissioned by the Architectural Review in 1969-70.
The photographs are part of the archive of the Architectural Press, former publishers of the Architectural Review, acquired by the RIBA in 2004.
A Brief Revolution: photography, architecture and social space in the Manplan project
The Photographers' Gallery, London
until 11 June 2023
https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/whats-on/brief-revolution-photography-architecture-and-social-space-manplan-project
an expanded version of the exhibition opens at RIBA in September 2023.
Comments
Valeria Carullo at RIBA may be best to ask of. There may be something for the enlarged exhibition when it moves to RIBA.
This sounds fascinating I could not see a catalogue referenced on the Photographers Gallery site does anyone know if there is one. I hope PG put all eight issues of teh original Review online for those of us not in London