Sandra George: Start from the Level at Edinburgh's City Art Centre
At the City Art Centre in Edinburgh, a new exhibition titled "Sandra George: Start from the Level" presents the most extensive collection of works by Black British photographer Sandra George. Her social documentary photography, which focused on working-class life in Scotland during the 1980s and 1990s, is featured prominently. This exhibition, created in collaboration with Craigmillar Now, is open until September 27 at 2 Market Street, Edinburgh. Although George passed away in 2013, her significant contributions remain largely unrecognized. Her images reflect resilience, showcasing scenes such as a student at an anti-nationalist protest and women at a community center, alongside intimate portraits and a notebook containing her artist manifesto, underscoring the importance of her legacy in the context of growing economic inequality in Britain and the U.S.
Key facts
- Sandra George: Start from the Level is on view at the City Art Centre in Edinburgh, Scotland, through September 27.
- The exhibition is the largest presentation of Sandra George's work to date and was produced with Craigmillar Now.
- Sandra George was a Black British photographer who documented urban Scottish life in the 1980s and 1990s.
- George died in 2013 and did not receive mainstream recognition during her lifetime.
- Her photographs include a student arrested at an anti-nationalist protest and a bouquet raised at a rally for Nelson Mandela's release from prison.
- A placard in one image reads 'Every Mother is a Working Mother.'
- Graffiti reading 'Rich Scum fuck off' appears on a door in Edinburgh's Craigmillar public housing complex in a 1994 photograph.
- An exhibited notebook contains the statement: 'Stop making assumptions about people. Start from the level that people are based.'
Entities
Artists
- Sandra George
- Tyler
Institutions
- City Art Centre
- Craigmillar Now
- Edinburgh Art Festival
- BlindCraft
- Hyperallergic
Locations
- Edinburgh
- Scotland
- United Kingdom
- Craigmillar
- Leith
- Portobello Beach
- United States