Gerard Jefferson Lewis

This practice-led PhD research explores the intersection of photography, voyeurism, and the Stasi Archive, through the lens of an ultra large format camera.  Utilizing the unique qualities of large format photography, this research aims to investigate the complexities of surveillance and the act of looking within the socio-political context of the GDR, during the cold war. 

The former Stasi (Ministerium fur Staatssicherheit), or Ministry for State Security, maintained detailed archives complete with covert photographs and internal reports, that exposed the mechanisms of state surveillance and the repressive culture of spying. This research aims to analyse these archives not merely as historical documents, but as a form of voyeuristic practice that reflects the power dynamics between the observer and the observed. 

Through the creation of original photographic works using a large format camera, the research will engage with themes of intimacy, observation, and the ethical implications of viewing. This methodology allows for a tactile engagement with the medium, emphasising the materiality of the photographic process and the subsequent impact on the viewers perception. 

The project will culminate in an exhibition and publication, that juxtaposes newly created artwork with selected images from the Stasi Archive, prompting critical dialogue about memory, control, and the politics of representation. By investigating how photography can serve both as a tool of oppression and a means of personal expression, this research contributes to the contemporary discussions on surveillance, privacy, and the role of the artist in reflecting on historical injustices. 

Names of Supervisors: 

• 1st Supervisor: Mr Gair Dunlop
• 2nd Supervisor: Dr Judit Bodor
• 3rd Supervisor: Dr Jason Hartford