Born in 1956 in South Shields, documentary photographer Tish Murtha’s artistic vision was shaped by her own experience of a working-class childhood. The third of ten children, she was raised in poverty and worked odd jobs after leaving school at 16, before studying in Newport on a grant. Following graduation, she returned to Elswick - where she had spent her childhood - saw her reflection in the people around her, and began to document the social disparities in 1980s Tyneside. She worked informally and building close bonds with subjects. We see an insider’s perspective of black-and-white imagery surrounding the human consequences of political policies in the form of youth culture and families against a backdrop of disparaged inner-city neighbourhoods— spotlighting the hardships of Newcastle’s deindustrialisation as well as challenging stereotypes of poverty and unemployment.
In a male-dominated field of documentary photography, Murtha’s authentic portfolio broke down representation barriers— both with in her own representation of being a female photographer contending with the gender imbalance in the arts, and the representation of the marginalised classes; successfully capturing the cultural vibrancy and resilience of Northerners bearing the brunt of Thatcherite economic restructuring. With photographs of couples embracing and children playing against backdrops of burnt cars and broken furniture, Murtha’s juxtaposition of subject matter underlined the resilience of the working class in an era remembered by individualism and the demolishment of the welfare state. The social commentaries stamping Murtha’s art promote photography being a tool for activism by addressing systemic issues and social injustices, aswell as emphasising the poignancy of capturing personal experiences and encouraging diversity within the arts.
Murtha’s photography is a historical record into the human impact of political policies in British history and an emotional insight into the struggles faced by the Northern working class communities. It also survives as a reminder for the current issues that continue to persist within society and the role that documentary photography can play in the name of raising awareness. The cultural heritage and the personal connection between the people of Newcastle and Tish Murtha establishes an authentic depth to the photography which outreaches to the audience and underlines the human connection behind and in front of the camera; sparked by Murtha’s sense of responsibility of portraying the people she identified with, and as.
Tish Murtha’s recognition has been primarily posthumous, yet the celebrations of her work are universal and well-deserved. Returning to Elswick after working in London to singlehandedly raise her daughter, Murtha passed suddenly in 2013 and saved the lives of 8 individuals from being an organ donor. Her work lives as a lasting imprint of a working class woman who lived and died in poverty— at its heart, the images tough surface glow with joy, Murtha capturing the victims of disadvantage not feeling the disadvantage. Capturing the strength in community.