Who We Are: Photographs by Martin Jenkinson, closes at Weston Park Museum, Sheffield, 14 April 2019. Over a year in the making, this is the first major retrospective of Martin Jenkinson’s work. Exhibition curator, Louisa Briggs, was first inspired to show Jenkinson’s images after viewing the extensive archive held by his daughter, Justine Jenkinson, when featuring his photographs in another exhibition.
We asked Jenkison for her thoughts on the exhibition, and any memories she was happy to share.
“Photojournalism not only allowed him to do something he loved, but also to focus on subjects that reflected his political beliefs and his strong sense of social justice.”
On his favourite photograph
“My Dad was most proud of images that portrayed an important moment in time, one that inspired others. He used to put his favourite images up on a noticeboard and one I remember he particularly liked was a photo from the first national women's rally in support of striking miners, taken at Barnsley Civic Hall in 1984. He also particularly liked the image from Orgreave with the mounted police and striking miners in front of an ice cream van.
In the current exhibition, I’ve recreated his work desk, including the notice board, so visitors can see a few of his favourites on there.”
On life at home
“It was a real way of life, living in a house with photographs always pinned on noticeboards and walls. I particularly remember having to be really careful about not doing certain things, like running water when he was washing films in the darkroom, because the change in water temperature would destroy the film. And I’ll always remember the smell of chemicals wafting down from his darkroom in the attic.”
A favourite image
“One of my favourite photographs is the image of the two men and a young boy at a Yorkshire Miners’ Gala in 1982 waiting for the speeches to begin. It’s typical of my Dad’s work; he was on a commissioned job which was political, but he managed to bring humour to the photos he took and made them feel very human.”
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Browse more Martin Jenkinson images here.
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Who We Are: Photographs by Martin Jenkinson, is on at Weston Park Museum, Sheffield until 14 April 2019. Learn more about the exhibition.
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With thanks to Museums Sheffield, Justine Jenkinson and Louisa Briggs for your help and cooperation on this article.
Miners' wives and members of womens support groups make up food parcels for striking miners families, Rotherham, 30 April 1984
Factory occupation in a protest against proposed redundancies, Firth-Derihon Stampings, Tinsley, Sheffield, 7 April 1983
Jeremy Deller's re-enactment of the Battle of Orgreave, 17 June 2001
Images: Miners pickets and mounted police at Orgreave during the miners’ strike, 18 June 1984; Waiting for the speeches to begin at the Yorkshire Miners Gala, Doncaster, 19 June 1982; Jeremy Deller's re-enactment of the Battle of Orgreave, 17 June 2001; Miners' wives and members of womens support groups make up food parcels for striking miners families, Rotherham, 30 April 1984; Factory occupation in a protest against proposed redundancies, Firth-Derihon Stampings, Tinsley, Sheffield, 7 April 1983.
All images © Martin Jenkinson Image Library. All rights reserved. DACS/Artimage 2018.