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Mary Ellen Mark

The people featured in the new Mary Ellen Mark exhibition at Manchester Art Galley all have stories to tell and Mary Ellen uses her camera to get into their lives in a personal yet un-voyeuristic way.

She finds time to be with these people. To get to know them. Like the New York Santa she spent the day with, finding out about his homeless, jobless life. Then she pictures him in a cafe drawing on a cigarette.

The exhibition offers startling contrasts, not just from the beautifully crafted black and white images, but by subject matter too. From the innocence of a 1986 Florida senior school prom to the cold reality of a KKK rally in 1994 Tennessee. "The Klan knew I was uncomfortable with what they do and they were suspicious of me, but they knew I had a job to do, so we just got on with it", says Mary Ellen.

Twins in watermelon dress (detail) - Mary Ellen Mark

For three years Mary Ellen spent time attending the annual Twins Day festival in Twinsburg, Ohio. Many of her portraits are on display as part of the exhibition alongside a film, made by her husband Martin Bell, and featuring interviews with the twins.

"What I like about my Twins pictures", say Mary Ellen, "is that they show the likeness between them as well as the subtle differences. Take the Twins with the watermelon dress (above), at first they look so much alike, but when you look closely their eyes are different."

Tiny (detail) - Mary Ellen Mark

Mary Ellen Mark seems to love getting to know people. In 1983 she met Tiny (right) and photographed her, since then she's stayed in touch and returns regularly to see how she's getting on.

Inevitably some pictures have brought minor fame and fortune to the subjects. The Damm Family (top) were a family Mary Ellen met in 1987 for a photoshoot for Life Magazine. "I found them living in a car in California. Following the article in the magazine they received donations of about $10,000. I went back in 1994 to photograph them again and they were still living in their car".

The exhibition also has a spattering of celebrity with pictures of Marlon Brando, John Lee Hooker and Woody Allen with Mia Farrow. But the real stars are the beautiful black and white images. The child with a doll, the child with a kitten, the child with a cigarette.

Mary Ellen hopes that each picture sparks an emotion with the viewer. She need have no fears on that count.

Richard Fair