Four Corners, the Creative Center for Film and Photography, is presenting "A World Apart," a compelling exhibition that captures a pivotal moment of transformation in London's East End during the 1970s. The exhibition brings together rarely seen photographs for the first time, documenting a world that has since completely disappeared from the urban landscape.
The striking images reveal a diverse community in transition, where Bengali migrants lived alongside elderly Jewish shopkeepers and skilled artisans. The photographs show dockers socializing in Wapping's local clubs and pubs, while neighbors and children come together to celebrate at vibrant, multicultural festivals in Stepney. These scenes capture the rich cultural tapestry that defined the area during this transformative period.
However, the photographs also reveal the profound upheaval affecting both streetscapes and communities throughout the East End. A sense of desolation hangs over streets that were soon to be demolished, while massive dock cranes stood motionless over empty quays, awaiting speculative redevelopment projects. Despite this apparent wasteland, the images document how a different East End was emerging from the ruins of the old.
New migrant communities were actively creating spaces for themselves as economic decline displaced established neighborhoods and their longtime residents. This period of rapid transition attracted a young generation of photographers who were determined to record the lives of ordinary people and advocate for meaningful social change. Their work provided a crucial visual record of communities caught between past and future.
During this era, photography was largely unrecognized by the mainstream art world, but these dedicated photographers found innovative ways to reach their audiences. Exhibitions at the tiny Half Moon Gallery and the prestigious Whitechapel Art Gallery attracted local residents who came to view images of themselves and their neighbors. The photographers also mounted guerrilla exhibitions in unconventional spaces, including launderettes, on housing estate walls, and even using portable sandwich boards to display their work.
These grassroots efforts were part of a flourishing community arts scene that celebrated local people and gave them a powerful voice during a time of significant change. The movement represented a radical approach to photography that prioritized community engagement over commercial or artistic recognition.
"A World Apart" features remarkable photographs by Ron McCormick and the Exit Photography group, which included Nicholas Battye, Diane Bush, Alex Slotzkin, and Paul Trevor. The exhibition also showcases significant works by Ian Berry, John Donat, David Hoffman, Jessie Ann Matthews, Dennis Morris, and Ray Rising. These groundbreaking photographs provide unique insights into an East End that is simultaneously recognizable and completely vanished.
Four Corners has served as a creative center for film and photography in East London for fifty years. Their exhibitions consistently draw on their history of radical, socially-engaged approaches, exploring often hidden and marginalized stories that might otherwise be forgotten. The Four Corners Archive comprises early work from Four Corners and its former neighbor, the Half Moon Gallery and Half Moon Photography Workshop, which later became known as Camerawork after its iconic magazine.
The exhibition celebrates the strong community spirit of an area whose identity has been shaped by centuries of migration and cultural exchange. As the East End continues to evolve, this documentation of its past transformation becomes increasingly important for understanding both its history and its ongoing development. More information about the exhibition and PhotoMonth London 2025 can be found at PhotoMonth.co.uk and on their Instagram account.
