Graham Smith (British, 1947). Tarzan Swing off the King Edward Bridge, River Tyne, Gateshead Side, 1977. Gelatin silver ...

Description

Graham Smith (British, 1947)
Tarzan Swing off the King Edward Bridge, River Tyne, Gateshead Side, 1977
Gelatin silver print, printed 2008. Signed twice, titled, dated and inscribed extensively in pencil, verso.
image: 15-1/2 x 19-1/4 inches (39.4 x 48.9 cm)
sheet: 183/4 x 22-5/8 inches

PROVENANCE:
Acquired directly from the artist.

Graham Smith typically describes at length on the back of his prints why he took a his photograph. Here he writes:

"Excitement, risk, danger and fear, these are some of the many experiences that must be lived in real life. Unfortunately, because of the spending power today's children enjoy, they have become targets, victims of the ever-growing global industry of electronic distractions from life. In this disturbing age of satellite choice and computer fantasy, a room in their house has gradually become the playground for too many children.

Our primeval instinct to venture, touch danger, has forever been a part of growing. Once upon a time, children used their environment as a playground and only hunger, injury or bedtime brough them home. They have always been attracted to climbing trees or playing near water and, for a group of youngsters, who lived near the King Edward railway bridge, the temptation was too much. One of them had the courage to climb along a bridge span high above the river and tie a long length of rope around one of the steel girders. From the top of a steep stone wall on the bank side, they would swing out over the River Tyne, sometimes up to four of them holding onto nothing more than knots in the rope end, or each other. The railway police had no choice, the rope was taken down. In the few days those children got away with playing Tarzan, reputations were made, life was lived and fortunately no one fell to what almost certainly would have been their death.

Some of those youngsters will now have kids of their own and, as parents, the idea of their own children swinging off the bridge would cause them great concern. But no one knows for sure how the young will be affected by the never ending, ever more seductive, choice of home entertainment. The long term risk of harm from the force of commerce could be greater than holding onto a rope end over the Tyne, for life."


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