"In the Face of History" is a collection of works by some of the greatest European photographers of the twentieth century. Capturing some of the key events in the continent's history, these images of hope and despair illuminate the currents of political and social change that shape and are shaped by individual lives. The book contains the work of over 25 photographers, including Eugene Atget, Brassai, Josef Sudek, Sune Jonsson, Robert Doisneau, Christer Stromholm, Anders Petersen, Boris Mikhailov, Chris Killip, Jitka Hanzlova and Wolfgang Tillmans. Through the camera, they attempt to make sense of the world around them, and the resulting 'subjective documentary' provides us with an emotional insight into events that we may have read about countless times on paper, but never really comprehended. Texts by key academics will provide authoritative context for the images. With world events happening at a pace around us, and our perceptions of our roles within those events changing with them, "In the Face of History" is a timely publication. The book will challenge traditional historical narratives and raise pertinent questions regarding responsibility and power.
"In the Face of History" navigates an important stream of European practice that remains relatively uncharted, particularly in countries of the former Eastern bloc. It is a stream that might be termed 'subjective documentary'. Here, the image is observed rather than invented, reality is recorded rather than manipulated - and yet that reality is subtly and artistically inflected by the photographer's own unique vision or experience. Often uplifting, sometimes shocking, "In the Face of History" depicts a past that is fundamentally a part of our present, and in doing so, provides a moving new take on what it means to be European. "In the Face of History" will be published in conjunction with a major Barbican exhibition in London running from 13 October 2006 to 28 January 2007.