The second artist I looked at was Jo Spence. Her work became most famous in the 1970's. She had a photo-journalistic style which she used to express thoughts and feelings
© Jo Spence
this piece is from a selection of work called "The Picture of Health?" I picked this image as I really like the composition. I think the green background layer contrasts well with the images and it complements the tones in the ink well. The words "How do I even begin to take responsibility" explain what a difficult time in her life this was. Photography was how she documented different times in her life. This was her way of explaining to others how she felt.
© Jo Spence
This was part of her photo novel "Cancer Shock" produced in 1982. During her Cancer journey Jo felt ignorant and powerless. The doctors and medical staff were taking control of a situation she knew nothing about and it made her feel fearful and inferior. This photo novel was her way of documenting and explaining to others what it was like to have Cancer. I like how the images have different amounts of contrast. Some have deeper blacks and brighter whites and others have more grey mid-tones. This element of variety gives definition between the images and the black background. The addition of text in different sizes also helps attract the viewers attention.
Website address: http://www.jospence.org