Elswick Kids is one of Tish Murtha 's earliest works in the Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne area in the late 1970s, when she first returned from the University of Newport, Wales.
His images capture the joy and freedom of childhood in a time when it was common to play in the street in a way that is almost lost today. The landscape can be harsh, but children know how to make the most of what little they have. They display a humor and resilience that shines in each of the images. Children always appear in the street, and adults or vehicles are rarely seen (unless they are abandoned, burnt out or used to play in them) although a lot of dogs do appear. It is a totally different time than today.
These images are a kind of prequel to Youth Unemployment , in which many of the children from the other book also appear, and in them you see the stark contrast between the wonder and excitement of childhood and the utter hopelessness that awaits them. after a few years.
Soft cover.Measurements: 27 x 29 cm