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these rampaging pubescent girls locked up together as if in a nunnery. in 1985 that is certainly retrogressive. and here they are almost each a still life against the
painted. two-dimensional backdrops
of the High Street photographer.
Herein lies the success of this book. a :
most full and comprehensive. but patently old-fashioned schooling system — how these seniors went wild on the order of release at the seaside on a bottle of wine — recorded on a thirty year-old camera. tenderly reprinted in duotone.
'I‘he ‘Moments Preserved‘ in Irving Penn‘s fine book are not as powerful asthe moments here presented. The girls are caught abundant with quick joys and long lingering disturbed eyes looking for the world outside. fledng to fly no doubt. but where to
David Williams spent 6 months as photographer-in-residence at St Margaret’s School for Girls, Edinburgh, from January to June 1984. His book, Pictures from No Man’s Land, arises out of this proiecl. Far left: Discus. Above: Percussion teacher, pupil. Left: Leavers' day out.
By now. you must realise that I think this is a very fine document. excellent photographs of an excellent idea. and my praise has nothing to do with the fact that l hail from a generation that finds schoolgirls in black lisle stockings devastating. but then in this book the
black lisle stockings are only in the mind's eye. Pictures From No Man's Land by David Williams is published by Waterfront. 3-1 Bernard Street. Leith. Edinburgh. £9.95 paperback: £17.95 cased.
The List 7 —- 20 Mar 41