Documentary by Paul Ward

Author:Paul Ward
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: PER004000, Performing Arts/Film and Video/General, PER004030, Performing Arts/Film & Video/History & Criticism
Publisher: Wallflower Press
Published: 2006-03-09T16:00:00+00:00

[Deller] frequently engages in collaborations that seem straightforward, but are actually complex and multi-layered, fusing seemingly disparate elements such as state of the art technology and old-fashioned industry, or contemporary culture and folk art. (2000: n.p.)

Folk art is basically that which is for the people, by the people and will therefore tend to revolve around the very regional, workplace-based, class-driven issues that this film is founded on. Connections can be drawn to the re-enactment societies (some of whom helped with The Battle of Orgreave) who ‘keep history alive’ by re-enacting key battles and other events, as well as traditions of other folk forms such as ‘mystery plays’. At the heart of folk art forms is often some notion of performance – this kind of art is often meant to be popular and ephemeral, rather than elitist and durable (with ‘durability’ translating into direct cash value, as the artwork becomes a commodity). Also central to folk art is the idea of keeping certain stories alive, of ensuring that the ‘official’ version of events is not the only one to endure. We see this in The Battle of Orgreave and its determination to counter the distortions of the Thatcher government and the BBC. We can also see it in slightly different forms in The Peterloo Massacre and The Peasants’ Revolt, to which we now turn.

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