Journalists are not of ‘our’ world — they are destabilising figures… Larrikins. If you spend too long in their presence, you may be explored, exposed, anxious and challenged.
Journalists are excused from shame, operating in a morally grey zone. They ask the questions we wish we could, to serve as record-keepers, watchdogs, and entertainers; they make the private uncomfortably public.
In a continual news cycle, we send these Larrikins into fires – severe legal battles, online and physical violence and receding budgets. When the Larrikin is such a grotesque character, and the news is so juicy, there is little incentive to stop them from being burnt.
We listen to their reports with dramatic irony. These are the lifestyles of contemporary journalists and the conditions in which they work as victims and antagonists, madmen and saints.
Jennifer Forward-Hayter is a photographer focused on documentary and social performance. Heavily inspired by John Berger, her work is cruel, upsetting and funny, showcasing communities who are traditionally alienated by the art community.
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