The Creatures Time Forgot: photography and disability imagery

by Hevey

The growth of the disabilities movement, campaigning for "rights not charity" has led to a need to re-examine the representation of disabled people. As a disabled photographer and writer, David Hevey has been a pioneer in changing visual representations of disabled people. He advocates a move away from medical, charity or impairment fixation into a visual equivalent of "rights not charity". David Hevey's work forms the basis of this book; in this sense, "The Creatures Time Forgot" is a political autobiography. The book presents David Hevey's work within the wider context of disability and photographic representation, from Charities Advertising to Disabled-led Alternative Imagery and the use and construction of disabilities photography within the Left and the Social Services. Hevey examines what has gone wrong with the representation of disabled people, and why they are neither present as human nor empowered as people in these forms. Hevey's examination of disabled people within photography explores the metaphorical role of the disabled person within American photography and the documentary work of such people as Gary Winogrand and Walker Evans. This book should be of interest to undergraduates studying photography, social policy, cultural studies and social work.

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 1992

Reviews

[Alissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting reframing of disability as impairment + lack of accessibility and charities and the health care system as dependent upon the traditional model of disability. Some chapters are essential reading for public health practitioners. And then some of this book is totally opaque semiotics that I personally find very challenging to get through.

Ultimately a very worthwhile read -- just plan to spend some time dissecting this one.