Protest and heartbreak: America in Crisis photo exhibition at the Saachi Gallery, London -

This compelling photo exhibition at London’s Saachi Gallery compares two collections of photographs of American life, exploring social change in the country from the 1960s till today.

It makes for pretty grim viewing too, with almost every aspect of life becoming worse for those at the bottom of the pile over the past four decades.

America in Crisis was a ground-breaking group initiative originally conceived in 1969 to assess the state of the nation. This Magnum Photos project was led by American photographer Charles Harbutt and Lee Jones, then Magnum’s New York bureau chief.

This group project turned a critical eye on the U.S at a time of great social, political and cultural change, and examined key events in 1968 leading up to Nixon’s inauguration.

The 2022 exhibition at Saatchi Gallery will create a dialogue between the original historical photographs from the 1969 Magnum project and new works produced five decades later, by diverse contemporary practitioners, during another tumultuous time in America.

Revisiting and updating this exhibition creates a unique dialogue between leading photographers from 1968, such as Bruce Davidson, Elliott Erwitt and Mary Ellen Mark, and the works of 2020 contemporaries, such as Kris Graves, Balazs Gardi, Zora J Murff, Sheila Pree Bright and Stacy Kranitz.

The exhibition highlights the themes present in both eras, confronting the myth of American exceptionalism with the reality of current events.

More info:

America in Crisis is at the Saatchi Gallery until 3rd April 2022

Duke of York’s HQ
King’s Road, London, SW3 4RY

Opening hours:

Monday – Sunday: 10am – 6pm
Last Entry: 5:30pm

Ticket prices

Monday to Friday
Standard Tickets: £5
Students & Seniors 60+: £3
Saturday or Sunday
Standard Tickets: £8
Students & Seniors 60+: £5
Under 10’s: Free entry when accompanied by an adult ticket holder