Prospect magazine has a feature by Emma Hartley which poses the question why were women photographers overlooked in the recent Netflix film The Dig. The photography of Mercie Lack and Barbara Wagstaff who documented the excavation at Sutton Hoo was removed and their roles replaced by a male photographer. Separately the role of Wagstaff has been largely overlooked in favour of Lack and it was only recently that her birth and death dates were known.
Read more here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/arts-and-books/why-does-netflixs-the-dig-exclude-the-women-who-photographed-sutton-hoo
Image: The long boat discovered at Sutton Hoo as photographed by Barbara Wagstaff. Credit: The British Museum
Comments
I enjoyed the film, but knew little about the underlying story, although I was aware before watching of the controversial age revisionism regarding the main character. An interesting article to read on International Women's Day - I hope Lack and Wagstaff get their credit in future and perhaps an exhibition one day?