Photography by Tracey Dunn

Green Days Café, Off Lark Lane
On display until the end of March 2006

Reviewed by Bob Iddon

I went to see two exhibitions last week. The first was ‘Making History: Art and Documentary in Britain from 1920 to now' - at the Tate (highly recommended), and the second was an exhibition by amateur photographer Tracey Dunn, showing at the Green Days Café, off Lark Lane.

There are approximately eighty prints in Tracey’s collection. There are rainy day images from a May Day march; the government storm troopers massing to protect some of the icons of American imperialism and global dominance, with workmen boarding up the windows (shame they can’t stay that way), through to pictures from the anti-war march in February 2003. These brought back happy memories for me because I too was there and had experienced the warmth of a million strong ordinary decent people trying to stop the bloody war - sadly to no avail. But on the other hand, her images do not show that all is doom and gloom. She has also included images of beautiful trees, countryside scenes and things that Tracey has made herself, all with lots of colour. She has also included images of happy children - and as pointed out in her narrative, which accompanies the collection - happy children make happy caring adults. Two of the kids are playing with a toy gun, whilst next to them is a picture which just says ‘War is Naughty’. A message there for all of us – teach your children well.

I mentioned the exhibition at the Tate because there is a connection between the two. They will make you think and maybe even inspire you to join the next Stop The War march taking place on 18th March in London.

All in all, this is a well thought out piece of work and I will look forward to seeing more of Tracey’s images in the future.