Not currently on display at the V&A

Dignity in Poverty, Hackney

Photograph
1974 (photographed), 2010 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Dennis Morris moved to Britain from Jamaica in the early 1960s and began taking photographs from the age of eight. His personal photographs of British Caribbean community life in Hackney came to form the series Growing Up Black.

‘Dignity in Poverty’ presents the harsh reality faced by many post-war Caribbean migrants who were forced to live in sub-standard tenement housing. Morris was part of this community, living in one room shared with his mother when arriving in England. Recalling the experience he emphasises, ‘Although conditions were cramped, we all had a sense of pride. Our rooms would be spotless and everything was kept in place.’ In order to create a home within a single space it became, according to Morris, ‘customary to part the room with a curtain. One side would be the bedroom and the other side the sitting room.’

The V&A acquired ten photographs by Dennis Morris as part of the Staying Power project. A photograph by Charlie Phillips depicting a racially discriminating housing advert in 1959 was also acquired as part of the project. Staying Power is a five year partnership between the V&A and Black Cultural Archives. The project aims to explore black British experience from the 1950s to the 1990s through photographs acquired by the V&A and oral histories conducted by Black Cultural Archives.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Dignity in Poverty, Hackney (assigned by artist)
  • Growing Up Black (series title)
Materials and techniques
Gelatin silver print
Brief description
Photograph by Dennis Morris, 'Dignity in Poverty, Hackney', from the series Growing Up Black, gelatin silver print, London, 1974, printed 2010
Physical description
Black and white photograph of a black man wearing a suit and trilby hat standing in a room in front of two washing lines with clothing items hanging from them. The door to the room is open and to the right-hand side of the image a floral curtain hangs from the ceiling in front of sheet of dark fabric acting as a wall.
Dimensions
  • Image size height: 45.5cm
  • Image size width: 68.5cm
  • Paper size height: 66.0cm
  • Paper size width: 83.8cm
  • Mount size height: 68.0cm
  • Mount size width: 92.0cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
(signed and titled on the reverse)
Gallery label
Text label for the exhibition, 'Staying Power: Photographs of Black British Experience, 1950s-1990s 16 February – 24 May 2015 Dennis Morris (born 1960) St Mark’s Church Choir Boys, Hackney Dignity in Poverty, Hackney 4 Aces Club, Count Shelley Sound System, Hackney From the series Growing Up Black 1970 – 74 Born in Jamaica, Morris became interested in photography through a club at his church in London. His personal photographs of British Caribbean community life in Hackney during the 1960s and ’70s came to form this series. Music is a key feature of Morris’s work, particularly the sound system subculture that was brought to London by British Caribbean migrants. Gelatin silver prints (printed 2010) Museum nos. E.1485, 1488, 1490-2010(16/02/2015-24/05/2015)
Credit line
Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Object history
The V&A acquired this photograph as part of the Staying Power project. Staying Power is a five year partnership between the V&A and Black Cultural Archives. The project aims to explore black British experience from the 1950s to the 1990s through photographs acquired by the V&A and oral histories conducted by Black Cultural Archives.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
Dennis Morris moved to Britain from Jamaica in the early 1960s and began taking photographs from the age of eight. His personal photographs of British Caribbean community life in Hackney came to form the series Growing Up Black.

‘Dignity in Poverty’ presents the harsh reality faced by many post-war Caribbean migrants who were forced to live in sub-standard tenement housing. Morris was part of this community, living in one room shared with his mother when arriving in England. Recalling the experience he emphasises, ‘Although conditions were cramped, we all had a sense of pride. Our rooms would be spotless and everything was kept in place.’ In order to create a home within a single space it became, according to Morris, ‘customary to part the room with a curtain. One side would be the bedroom and the other side the sitting room.’

The V&A acquired ten photographs by Dennis Morris as part of the Staying Power project. A photograph by Charlie Phillips depicting a racially discriminating housing advert in 1959 was also acquired as part of the project. Staying Power is a five year partnership between the V&A and Black Cultural Archives. The project aims to explore black British experience from the 1950s to the 1990s through photographs acquired by the V&A and oral histories conducted by Black Cultural Archives.
Associated objects
Bibliographic reference
Morris, D. Growing Up Black (London: Autograph ABP, 2012), illustrated
Collection
Accession number
E.1488-2010

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Record createdFebruary 1, 2011
Record URL
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