A new exhibition at Crawley Museum featuring photographs by the renowned photographer Wolf Suschitzky (1912-2016) of the early development of Crawley are returning to the town and being shown to the public for the first time since they were taken six decades ago.
The photographs were commissioned to capture life in the New Town ten years after construction had begun. Along with images made in the other emerging New Towns around the country, a small selection of images was featured in an exhibition held at the Royal Academy in 1959 to highlight the progress of the first wave of home building and new town development following World War Two.
They were discovered in the Fotohof archives, Salzburg Austria, by photographer and researcher Dr Julia Winckler who immediately recognised their significance: “The archival collection comprises of more than 100 images featuring Crawley’s architecture, businesses, factories, shopping arcades, houses, schools, nurseries, residents and green spaces. A key feature and strength of Suschitzky’s photographs is that the architecture primarily acted as a backdrop to human interactions. From my previous research and writing on earlier phases of urban development, I knew this evocative series of images of the original British new towns really needed to be seen.”
Along with exhibition curation partners Dr. Kurt Kaindl, Co-Founder of Fotohof Salzburg, and Ms Georgia Wrighton, a colleague at the University of Brighton specialising in Town Planning, Crawley Museum was approached to host this exhibition, co-curated by Jo Pettipher, Learning & Liaison Officer, Crawley Museum and Trustee Mick Waters.
Incorporating artefacts and documents from the Museum’s collection, the exhibition provides new insights into the early phases of the town’s development and the photographs reveal fascinating details of the lives of the first generation of inhabitants as they commute, work, shop, learn and play. The photographs serve as a valuable cultural and visual archive not only for town planners or photography and architectural historians, but most importantly, they constitute an invaluable resource for contemporary residents and communities, offering a rare glimpse into everyday life in Crawley at a pivotal point in its evolution, and as a reminder of the optimism of this period of urban development and how it might inspire a vision for the future.
Georgia Wrighton commented: “Wolf Suschitzky’s photographs help us to uncover and celebrate the early beginnings of Crawley, and the sense of optimism at that time and illustrate why the history of the New Towns should be valued and cherished as part of the UK’s town planning and architectural heritage.” Jo Pettipher said: "We are delighted to be able to bring these photographs back to the people of Crawley and display them alongside objects from the museum’s collection. As Crawley enters a new period of change, we hope these beautiful photographs and fascinating objects will spark a new optimism and hope for the town’s future. A chance for us all to feel a sense of pride in the town and to work together to build a bright, sustainable future.”
Kurt Kaindl: “Wolf Suschitzky’s photographs are what every archivist dreams of: the output of a very long and active life as a photographer. In his photographic work, he observed a classical formal language and utilised photography with its ability to cover small details and portraits of individual people as well as expansive overviews of specific themes.”
A public talk takes place on 22 February from 1400-1600, alongside a series of talks, community events, gallery tours, school visits, half-term activities and workshops.
Crawley New Town seen through the lens of Wolf Suschitzky
6 February-29 March 2025
Crawley Museum, 103 High St, Crawley RH10 1DD
https://crawleymuseums.org/crawley-museum/
Image: Wolf Suschitzky, Tilgate Shopping Arcade, 1959, from the Crawley New Town series. Courtesy Fotohof Salzburg/ © Suschitzky / Donat Family
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