Tate Britain
The 80s: Photographing Britain
21 November 2024–5 May 2025
A selection of works from Karen Knorr’s Gentlemen (1981–1983) are included in Tate Britain’s newest exhibition, The 80s: Photographing Britain, which opens today! This exhibition traces the work of a diverse community of photographers, collectives and publications – creating radical responses to the turbulent Thatcher years. Set against the backdrop of race uprisings, the miner strikes, section 28, the AIDS pandemic and gentrification – be inspired by stories of protest and change.
At the time, photography was used as a tool for social change, political activism, and artistic and photographic experiments. See powerful images that gave voice and visibility to underrepresented groups in society. This includes work depicting the Black arts movement, queer experience, South Asian diaspora and the representation of women in photography.
The photographic works Gentlemen (1981–1983), photographed in English gentlemen’s clubs in Saint James’ in central London, consider the patriarchal values of the English upper middle classes