In February 2025, Turner Contemporary will open the groundbreaking exhibition Resistance, a powerful exploration of a century of protest in the UK and the role of photography in shaping and documenting social change. Conceived by Turner Prize-winning artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen and curated alongside Clarrie Wallis, the exhibition reveals how acts of resistance have defined Britain’s history—and how images have immortalized those moments.
Spanning from the suffragette movement in 1903 to the Anti-Iraq War protest of 2003—the largest in British history—Resistance brings together iconic and lesser-known photographs that capture the spirit of defiance across generations. Works by acclaimed photographers such as Vanley Burke, Edith Tudor-Hart, Tish Murtha, and Janine Wiedel sit alongside rarely seen images drawn from archives and private collections. Notably, the exhibition focuses on the pre-digital era, highlighting the physical and often intimate nature of analog photography.
The exhibition gives voice to underrepresented communities and pivotal but overlooked events. It revisits the Blind March of 1920, the hunger marches of the 1930s, and resistance to fascism in the 1930s and 1970s. Visitors will encounter striking imagery from LGBTQ+ protests against Section 28 and the feminist activism of the Women’s Liberation Movement. The connection between movements is central—Resistance draws a historical line from these moments to today’s climate activism and anti-capitalist demonstrations.
A major highlight is the documentation of the Black People’s Day of Action in 1981, a landmark protest in response to the New Cross Fire. Photographs of the march convey both the grief and the determination of Britain’s Black communities. Similarly, Paul Trevor’s work with the Bengali community in East London exemplifies community photography as a form of activism, using the camera as a tool to amplify marginalized voices.
The exhibition also features photography from protests against environmental degradation and nuclear weapons, including images from Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp and the 1996 anti-bypass protests in Devon. These snapshots serve as a reminder of how collective action has shaped policy and public consciousness.
Resistance is the result of a four-year research project, supported by the Ampersand Foundation. In tandem with the exhibition, a publication by 4th Estate—curated by McQueen and Wallis—will offer extended insights, combining photographs, essays, and personal accounts from witnesses and participants.
By placing photography at the heart of social change, Resistance not only reframes British history but also invites reflection on current global struggles. As McQueen notes, “This exhibition and book explores how people have challenged the status quo—a mission that feels especially urgent in today’s political climate.”
Dates: Sat 22 Feb–Sun 1 Jun 2025
Hours: Tue–Sun 10.00am-5.00pm and bank holidays
