Franki Raffles Screenings | Tish

Driven by a commitment to document the impact of deindustrialisation on working-class communities in the North East in the 1970s and 1980s, Newcastle-based photographer Tish Murtha used her camera to expose societal inequality. She felt she had an obligation to the people and problems within her local environment, and that documentary photography could highlight and challenge the social disadvantages that she herself had suffered. However, despite early acclaim for her work, she was unable to make a living from photography and died in poverty.
Tish is a journey of exploration for Ella Murtha as both daughter and custodian of the Tish Murtha archive, a chance to elevate and preserve a legacy that has been lost and to tell the story of an artist and woman outside of the ‘mother’ that existed for her – or the version of Tish claimed within dominant narratives of the 70s and 80s photography – from the people who knew Tish and the images she left behind.

‘A tremendous, humane tribute to a real artist.’ — The Guardian

This event is part of a series of films in our cinema on Wednesday evenings which further expand on themes of labour and feminism in Franki Raffles’ exhibition. Book a bundle ticket for these screenings at a discounted price here.

We are also showing free lunchtime talks by artists, activists, researchers and thinkers. See full programme here.

If you're unable to attend the event, we are unfortuantley unable to refund your ticket.

We want our events to be inclusive and accessible. Please email [email protected] to let us know about any requirements you have. Ahead of your visit, you can find out about Baltic's facilities and accessibility here.

Host or Publisher Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art