Criticism
Photography and Environmental Activism: Visualising the Struggle Against Industrial Pollution (2022) by Conohar Scott.
Routledge, UK. ISBN 9781138845770.
Historically, photography has acted as a technology for documenting the industrial transformation of the world around us; usually to benefit the interests of capitalist markets. An alternative photographic tradition exists, however, in which the indexical image is used "evidentially" to protest against incidents of industrial pollution. By providing a definition of environmental activism in photographic praxis, and identifying influential practitioners, this publication demonstrates that photography plays a vital role in the struggle against environmental despoliation.
This book will be of interest to scholars in photography, art and visual culture, environmental humanities, and the history of photography. Featuring photographs contributed from Guilio di Sturco (who also provides the cover image), Sean Gallagher, Rasel Chowdhury, Traces of Nitrate, Sophie Gerrard, Pieter Hugo, Chris Jordan, Mandy barker, Andy Hughes, Ana Maria Guerra, Peter Kennard, Sant Kalsa, Edward Burtynsky, Jamey Stillings, Mark Neville, David T Hanson, Kate Orff, Toby Smith, and many others.
Reviews
Noemi Quagliati (2023) Photography and Environmental Activism: Visualising the Struggle Against Industrial Pollution, Visual Resources, 37:3.
DOI: 10.1080/01973762.2023.2279809
Siobhan Angus (2023) Photography and Environmental Activism: Visualising the Struggle Against Industrial Pollution, Photography and Culture, 16:1, 89-92.
DOI: 10.1080/17514517.2023.2228082
Erik Palmer (2023) Photography and Environmental Activism: Visualising the Struggle Against Industrial Pollution by Conohar Scott, Visual Communication Quarterly, 30:1, 57-58.
DOI: 10.1080/15551393.2023.2165389