Jo Spence

The Highest Product of Capitalism (after John Heartfield)

1979

© The Jo Spence Memorial Archive

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In Tate Britain

Walk Through British Art: Sixty years

Free entry
Artist
Jo Spence 1934–1992
Medium
Photograph, tinted gelatin silver print on paper; collaboration with Terry Dennett
Dimensions
Support: 491 x 695 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Presented by Tate Patrons 2014
Reference
P80406

Display caption

This photograph shows Spence standing in front of a shop window holding a sign thatreads ‘I’ll Take (Almost) Any Work’. It makes direct reference to a work from 1932 by Dada artist and photomontage pioneer, John Heartfield. In Heartfield’s work a male figure wearing a sign declaring ‘Any work accepted’ stands in front of an image of a woman wearing an opulent wedding dress. Spence exchanges the male figure for her own figure opening up broader commentary on women’s position in the workplace and more specifically her work as a commercial photographer.

Gallery label, September 2018

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