Mike Abrahams
{{Short description|British documentary photographer and photojournalist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = Mike Abrahams
| birth_date = 1952
| birth_place =
| nationality = British
| awards = World Press Photo: Daily Life (2000)
| birth_name = Michael Abrahams
| alma_mater = Polytechnic of Central London
| known_for = Photography
| website = [http://www.mikeabrahams.com mikeabrahams.com]
| notable_works = The Holy Mountain
}}
Mike Abrahams (born 1952){{Cite web|title=DC Photography - Photographer page - Decorative Collective|url=https://www.decorativecollective.com/dc-photography/mike-abrahams|access-date=2020-11-21|website=www.decorativecollective.com}} is a British documentary photographer and photojournalist who is based in London. He is best known for his photographs documenting the lives of ordinary people,{{Cite web|last=LensCulture|first=Mike Abrahams {{!}}|title=Mike Abrahams|url=https://www.lensculture.com/mabrahams2|access-date=2020-11-21|website=LensCulture}} particularly his work in Northern Ireland{{Cite web|title=Luminous-Lint - Image|url=http://www.luminous-lint.com/app/image/0795930540769233112616785354/|access-date=2020-11-21|website=www.luminous-lint.com}} and on Christian pilgrimage around the world.{{Cite web|title=2000 Mike Abrahams DLS3-AL {{!}} World Press Photo|url=https://www.worldpressphoto.org/collection/photo/2000/32077/1/2000-Mike-Abrahams-DLS3-AL|access-date=2020-11-21|website=www.worldpressphoto.org}}
Career
Mike Abrahams' photographs have been published by major British newspapers including The Times, The Sunday Times, The Observer Magazine, and The Daily Telegraph, The Independent Magazine and in magazines including Time and Forbes, Der Spiegel, Stern and Grands Reportages. His work has also appeared in several books, numerous exhibitions and TV documentaries. His photographs "Faith" was awarded third prize in the 2000 World Press Photo awards: Daily Life and he has been exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts.
He was a founder member of the Network Photographers picture agency. Subjects of Abrahams' photographic collections have included Northern Ireland, Christian pilgrimage, the Battle of Lewisham (1977), inmates at Pentonville Prison (1983), and the Crufts dog show.{{Cite book|last=Walker|first=John A.|url=https://monoskop.org/images/7/78/Walker_John_A_Left_Shift_Radical_Art_in_1970s_Britain.pdf|title=Left Shift: Radical Art in 1970s Britain|publisher=I.B. Tauris|year=2002|isbn=9781860647659|location=London|pages=198}}
As a portrait photographer, his subjects have included musicians (David Bowie, Brian Eno, Sinead O'Connor); playwrights (David Hare, Dennis Potter, Tom Stoppard); politicians (Diane Abbott, Gordon Brown, Margaret Thatcher); and other public figures such as Richard Branson, Howard Marks, and Benjamin Zephaniah.{{Cite web|title=Portraits {{!}} mike abrahams|url=https://mikeabrahams.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Portraits/C0000fkW_A.WRF4Q|access-date=2020-11-21|website=mikeabrahams.photoshelter.com}}
= Early work =
One of the earliest exhibitions of Abrahams' work was Camden Co-Optic, at St. Pancras Library, Shaw Theatre in 1975, alongside photos by Dorothy Bohm and Fay Godwin.{{Cite web|title=Camden Co-Optic - Mike Abrahams, Dorothy Bohm, Joyce Edwards, Fay Godwin, Mike Goldwater, Nick Hedges, Lora Verner, Stephen Weiss|url=https://www.fourcornersarchive.org/archive/view/0000080|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.fourcornersarchive.org|language=en-GB}} Other early exhibitions included Growing Old (Hampstead, 1977){{Cite web|title=Growing Old - Mike Abrahams|url=https://www.fourcornersarchive.org/archive/view/0001085|access-date=2020-11-21|website=www.fourcornersarchive.org|language=en-GB}} and No Nuclear Weapons (Bow, 1980) with Peter Kennard.{{Cite web|title=No Nuclear Weapons - Peter Kennard & Mike Abrahams|url=https://www.fourcornersarchive.org/archive/view/0001812|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.fourcornersarchive.org|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|title=No Nuclear Weapons - Peter Kennard & Mike Abrahams|url=https://www.fourcornersarchive.org/archive/view/0002991|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.fourcornersarchive.org|language=en-GB}}
In 1977, Abrahams' work illustrated Gladys Elder's book The Alienated: Growing Old Today (Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative).{{Cite book|last=Elder, Gladys, 1899-1976.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3904577|title=The alienated : growing old today|date=1977|publisher=Writers and Readers Pub. Cooperative|others=Bernard, Christine, 1924-|isbn=0-904613-63-1|location=London|oclc=3904577}} An exhibition of the photos from the book was held at the Half Moon Gallery in London.{{Cite news|last=Adamson|first=Lesley|date=24 August 1977|title=Look at what's over the hill|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.fourcornersarchive.org/archive/view/0001076|access-date=}}
His pictures of the controversial National Front march and the Lewisham Against Racism counter protest in August 1977 were published by Time Out and Camerawork magazines.{{Cite web|title=Camerawork Magazine - Issue 08|url=https://www.fourcornersarchive.org/archive/view/0000009|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.fourcornersarchive.org|language=en-GB}} He was a regular contributor to Camerawork magazine, including a photo essay on the Sellafield nuclear site (then known as Windscale Nuclear Reprocessing Plant) in February 1980.{{Cite web|title=Camerawork Magazine - Issue 17|url=https://www.fourcornersarchive.org/archive/view/0000018|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.fourcornersarchive.org|language=en-GB}}
= Network Photographers =
In 1981, Abrahams co-founded the Network Photographers picture agency{{Cite web|title=Mike Abrahams {{!}} Science Museum Group Collection|url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/cp134453/mike-abrahams|access-date=2020-11-21|website=collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk|language=en}} together with Barry Lewis, Chris Davies, Laurie Sparham, John Sturrock, Judah Passow, Mike Goldwater, Martin Slavin, and Steve Benbow.
Throughout the 1980s, photographs taken by Abrahams were included in several Network Photographers exhibitions at Impressions Gallery in Bradford, West Yorkshire, including Working the Surface of the Earth (1988).{{Cite web|title=The London Metal Exchange {{!}} Science Museum Group Collection|url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8437480/the-london-metal-exchange-photograph|access-date=2020-11-22|website=collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk|language=en}} The photographs have been archived by the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford.{{Cite web|title=Steven Massey, Suffering from Asthma {{!}} Science Museum Group Collection|url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8576008/steven-massey-suffering-from-asthma-photograph|access-date=2020-11-21|website=collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Ernest Goodwin Suffering from Asthma {{!}} Science Museum Group Collection|url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8576004/ernest-goodwin-suffering-from-asthma-photograph|access-date=2020-11-21|website=collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk|language=en}}
= Northern Ireland =
In 1990, Abrahams' book Still War: Photographs From The North of Ireland compiled his images of daily life in a community at war. The Irish civil rights leader and politician, Bernadette McAliskey, said the book "can be charged and found guilty of disturbing the peace. Colin Jacobson, picture editor of The Independent newspaper, called his work in Northern Ireland, "documentary photography at its best – imaginative, comprehensive, confident and concerned".{{Cite web|title=Still War: Photographs from the North of Ireland by Mike Abrahams, Laurie Sparham {{!}} Waterstones|url=https://www.waterstones.com/book/still-war-photographs-from-the-north-of-ireland/mike-abrahams/laurie-sparham/9780941533867|access-date=2020-11-21|website=www.waterstones.com|language=en}}
= Positive Lives =
Abrahams' photographs were included in Positive Lives: Response to HIV & AIDS (1991-2010), a collaboration between the Terrence Higgins Trust, Stephen Mayes and the photographers of the Network agency. Work started in 1991 and premiered in 1993 at FotoFeis, Glasgow and at The Photographers’ Gallery in London, accompanied by a book published by Cassell.{{Cite news|last=Photo|first=World Press|date=2018-12-01|title=Positive Lives — A Living History|url=https://witness.worldpressphoto.org/positive-lives-a-living-history-6d5fbde3c324|access-date=2020-11-21|website=Medium|language=en}} The project focused on the social responses to HIV/AIDS and the impact of fear and bigotry on sufferers, their families, and friends. From its inception in the UK in 1991 and its initial launch in 1993, Positive Lives evolved over two decades, with exhibits in more than 30 countries on six continents. New work was created that was specific to each territory. The project was supported by the Levi Strauss Foundation and the Elton John Foundation. The other photographers involved in Positive Lives included Denis Doran, Mike Goldwater, Fergus Greer, Mark Fowler, Barry Lewis, Paul Lowe, Jenny Matthews, Gideon Mendel, Judah Passow, Chris Pillitz, Mark Power, Steve Pyke, Paul Reas, and John Sturrock.{{Cite web|title=Paul Reas|url=http://staff.southwales.ac.uk/users/6813-preas01|access-date=2020-11-22|website=staff.southwales.ac.uk}}
= Faith =
In 2000, Abrahams won third prize in the Daily Life category of the World Press Photo awards for his photograph "The Holy Mountain", showing pilgrims climbing barefoot up Croagh Patrick to say a mass in honour of Saint Patrick.{{Cite web|last=Abbasi|first=Jibran|date=2017-04-27|title=The Holy Mountain by Mike Abrahams|url=http://www.brecorder.com/news/345840|access-date=2020-11-21|website=Brecorder|language=en}} The work was taken from Faith: A Journey With Those Who Believe, a collection of photographs documenting the passion of pilgrims throughout the world and exploring Christian mystery and superstition with a foreword by Peter Stanford.{{Cite book|last=|first=|date=|title=Faith on Amazon|id={{ASIN|0953675629|country=uk}}}} Abrahams' photographs exploring Christianity were exhibited at the Association of Photographers gallery in April 2001.{{Cite web|last=Administrator|first=System|date=2001-04-05|title=Exhibitions|url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/5-april-2001/exhibitions-184/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Design Week|language=en-UK}}
= Work in film =
Abrahams worked as a photographer on the 1984 documentary film, South Africa: A Land Divided, which was sponsored by Christian Aid.{{Cite web|title=South Africa - A Land Divided (1984)|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6e566616|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830105351/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6e566616|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 August 2021|access-date=2020-11-22|website=BFI|language=en}} He was the stills photographer for Terence Davies' 1988 film Distant Voices, Still Lives, starring Freda Dowie, Pete Postlethwaite, Angela Walsh and Pauline Quirke.{{Cite web|title=Distant Voices, Still Lives|url=http://dev.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/73200/distant-voices-still-lives|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129045501/http://dev.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/73200/distant-voices-still-lives|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 November 2020|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Turner Classic Movies|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Distant Voices Still Lives (1988)|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b79314351|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301081743/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b79314351|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 March 2016|access-date=2020-11-22|website=BFI|language=en}}
His work was featured in Renny Bartlett's 1989 short film, No Explanation Is Necessary: The Nationalist community of Northern Ireland. The five minute film was part of a series called Moving Stills, focusing on documentary photographers living and working Britain, and also featured Abrahams' colleague from Network Photographers, Laurie Sparham.{{Cite web|title=Arts on Film Archive|url=http://artsonfilm.wmin.ac.uk/filmsuk.php?a=view&recid=187|access-date=2020-11-22|website=artsonfilm.wmin.ac.uk}}
= Other work =
In 1992, Abrahams published a collection of six black and white prints entitled British Suburban Cowboys featuring British fans of Country and Western music.{{Cite web|title=Southern Comfort Cruise {{!}} Science Museum Group Collection|url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8645821/southern-comfort-cruise-photograph|access-date=2020-11-21|website=collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk|language=en}} His photography was featured in Revealing Views: Images From Ireland (1999) by Joanne Bernstein and Mark Sealy, published in London by Royal Festival Hall, alongside work by Seán Hillen, Mary McIntyre, Pádraig Murphy, Steve Pyke, Paul Seawright, and Victor Sloan.{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/41170356|title=Revealing views : images from Ireland|date=1999|publisher=Royal Festival Hall|others=Bernstein, Joanne., Sealy, Mark.|isbn=1-85332-194-X|location=London|oclc=41170356}}
Abrahams' work has been used in educational textbooks such as 2015's Rights and Protest (Oxford University Press) by Mark Rogers and Peter Clinton,{{Cite book|last1=Rogers|first1=Mark|last2=Clinton|first2=Peter|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/923895762|title=Rights and protests : course companion|year=2015 |isbn=978-0-19-831019-8|location=Oxford, United Kingdom|oclc=923895762}} and The Middle East: Conflict, Crisis and Change, 1917-2012, published in 2017.{{Cite book|last1=Brash|first1=Hilary|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1063649294|title=History. The Middle East: conflict, crisis and change, 1919-2012|isbn=978-0-435-18541-1|location=Harlow|oclc=1063649294}}
In 2019, his picture Gangasagar was exhibited at the Royal Academy as part of their Summer Exhibition.{{Cite web|title=842 - GANGASAGAR by Mike Abrahams|url=https://se.royalacademy.org.uk/2019/artworks/mike-abrahams/842|access-date=2020-11-21|website=se.royalacademy.org.uk|language=en-GB}} A photograph of women washing in the Muri Ganga river in Gangasagar, India, It was selected by Amelia Windsor in Tatler as her highlight of the exhibition.{{Cite web|last=Windsor|first=Amelia|title=Amelia Windsor shares her highlights from the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition|url=https://www.tatler.com/article/amelia-windsor-royal-academy-summer-exhibition|access-date=2020-11-21|website=Tatler|date=8 June 2019 |language=en-GB}}
As a corporate photographer, Abrahams has taken photographs for end of year reports by Premier Oil and Unilever among others.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2012|title=British American Tobacco: Performance Review|url=https://www.bat.com/group/sites/uk__9d9kcy.nsf/vwPagesWebLive/DO9DCL3B/$FILE/medMD9UXEAF.pdf?openelement|access-date=|website=}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=1998|title=Unilever Annual Review|url=https://www.unilever.com/Images/1998-unilever-annual-review-guilders-en_tcm244-424216_en.pdf|access-date=|website=}}
Publications
The Alienated: Growing Old Today (Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative, 1977) – with Gladys Elder and JB Priestley
Still War: Photographs From The North of Ireland (New Amsterdam Books, New York, 1990) – with Laurie Sparham{{Cite book|last=Abrahams, Mike.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/22619644|title=Still war : photographs from the North of Ireland|date=1990|publisher=New Amsterdam|others=Sparham, Laurie.|isbn=0-941533-86-7|location=New York|oclc=22619644}}
Positive Lives: A Response To HIV & AIDS (Cassell, New York, 1993) – with Stephen Mayes, Lyndall Stein, and Edmund White{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/29477675|title=Positive lives : responses to HIV : a photodocumentary|others=Mayes, Stephen,, Stein, Lyndall,, White, Edmund, 1940-|year=1993 |isbn=0-304-32846-4|location=New York, NY|oclc=29477675}}
Faith: A Journey With Those Who Believe (Network Photographers, London, 2000) – foreword by Peter Stanford{{Cite book|last=Abrahams, Mike.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/47897631|title=Faith : a journey with those who believe|date=2000|publisher=Network Photographers|others=Stanford, Peter.|isbn=0-9536756-2-9|location=London|oclc=47897631}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://witness.worldpressphoto.org/positive-lives-a-living-history-6d5fbde3c324 An essay by Steve Mayes on Positive Lives: Response to HIV & AIDS (1991-2010)]
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Category:British male photographers