The Power relation

Anthony Luvera

Since I commenced researching ethical methods to represent inequality and poverty, I have taken many occasions to reflect upon the work and approaches of Anthony Luvera. The details of my reflections and observations I considered to be  valuable within the context of my extended project and therefore thought it wise to compile some of my observations. The considerable extent of Luvera’s practice is adopted as a result of his consideration towards overcoming visual exploitation and providing a voice to a community that is all too easily ignored.

Luvera refers to himself as a socially engaged artist of collaborative projects. Much of his work relies on a level of collaboration that many photographers would see as losing a degree of artistic integrity. However, research into his motivation of his adopted approaches, provides further evidence of a a wider understanding to contemplate.

‘Understanding the how’

I find a level of encouragement within photographic practice  that his own approach was inspired by the likes of ‘The Belfast Express’, a community group who became interested in ‘how’ the people were experiencing life, living between two belligerent fractions and campaigning for a coming together. There is a significant interest in how the community is being represented. This is  vastly different to the motivations of photojournalists such as Don Mccullin who have expressed similar levels of empathy for the community whilst being commissioned to display the dramatic moments in Northern Ireland. In an interview with Studio International Levera questions how drama from photographers who have travelled to be a part of, (Susan Sontag’s Tourist photographers) helps with the identity of a community. I can infer that the suggestion is that negative portrayals of only destructive elements, can lead to further levels of negative public perception.

Community

The expression and examination of community life is driven by a search of understanding that leads to a  sense of knowing. I very much like the ethos behind Luvera’s work. The use of community associations to empower marginalized groups to take the lead in making photographic representations of their own lives and experiences , a theory suggested by Jo Spence (1976) to allow people to look at the world differently.  

The discovery of Luvera’s ‘ Self Assisted Portraits’ appears to be born out of this sense of community photography. The shaping of a photographer’s development is something of great interest to me and I find it encouraging to discover how documentary photographers meander from one set of foundation principles to the growth of a variation of a theme. A particular benchmark that Luvera asks himself is to convey the stories of those within their own communities about the way their lives are shaped. The importance of listening is a required skill to truly identify with a community and understand their personal everyday dilemmas. By capturing this visually, the significance falls into the politics that is attached to any social struggle. I like the way Luvera does not shy away from this and attempts to amplify  the voices of a community who are under represented.  

Motivation

I find a great deal of satisfaction by observing the motivations behind a photographers general impetus, values and ethos. Luvera appears to be ever evolving and open to adopt new approaches if they fit within his ethical parameters. The work always appears to be in transition with the consideration of how to represent his subjects without projecting an imbalance of power, being a prime motivation. Because the photography involves the inclusion of the subjects own thoughts behind the process to create a ‘self representation’.

The level of engagement is a major driving force behind the motivation to elevate the voices of marginalized communities. It would be fair to suggest that the engagement holds such prominence within the work that it often overrides the political aspect of the representation. Luvera believes that the representation is designed to display some of the engagement between the participants, the medium of photography and himself.