Review of “Tish” – an engaging portrayal of a dedicated photographer in the era of Austerity Britain | Documentary cinema

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Passion emanates from this heart-wrenching documentary created by the talented filmmaker Paul Sng, reminiscent of his exceptional previous work featuring Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex. The film revolves around Tish Murtha, a renowned photographer from Tyneside who dedicated herself to capturing the realities of working-class lives in the 70s and 80s. She also documented the lives of Soho’s sex workers in London, earning the moniker “Demon Snapper” in the press.

Murtha’s photographs portrayed the harshness of poverty and deprivation in communities crippled by unemployment, largely neglected by the Westminster political elites who deemed it an acceptable sacrifice to weaken trade unions. However, amidst the bleakness, Murtha skillfully captured the spirit, humor, and resilience of her subjects, particularly the children. This profoundly humane and warmly presented film is narrated by Ella, Murtha’s grown daughter, who bears a striking resemblance to her late mother. Ella delves into heartfelt conversations with Tish Murtha’s family, friends, and former teachers from the School of Documentary Photography in Newport.

Crucially, Murtha was not an outsider; she was one of the very people whose lives she documented. She despised the romanticization of poverty by the middle-class media. This clash of perspective led to her parting ways with the Side Gallery in Newcastle, which had exhibited her work, due to what she described as their “poverty is beautiful, man” attitude. Tragically, Tish Murtha eventually became a statistic herself, marginalized and misunderstood by the arts establishment. In her final years, she faced poverty induced by Austerity Britain following the 2008 financial crisis, living in fear of punitive measures by the Department of Work and Pensions.

Sng and Ella Murtha captivatingly recount the story of a young girl who, like her brothers and friends, explored the desolate streets and abandoned houses, stumbling upon a camera that would shape her destiny. She soon realized that having a camera acted as a protective shield against the lurking dangers of street predators. Purchasing a new camera on hire purchase from Dixons and with the assistance of a grant, she secured a place in college. Her talent blazed through her poignant images, accompanied by her eloquent commentary. The Side Gallery initially supported her, and the Photographers’ Gallery in London commissioned her renowned Soho study.

This film resonates with Clio Barnard’s “The Arbor,” a tale similar to Tish Murtha’s story, which revolves around the brilliant working-class playwright Andrea Dunbar from Bradford. Like Dunbar, Murtha experienced early success but lacked the supportive infrastructure needed to sustain a long-term career, a privilege her middle-class male contemporaries took for granted. Also reminiscent of Ken Loach’s “I, Daniel Blake,” the film poignantly depicts the struggles of the Austerity era in Britain. “Tish” stands as a powerful and compassionate tribute to a true artist.