From the suffragettes marching through London’s streets to the mass protest against the Iraq War, photographers have witnessed a century of British resistance. This landmark exhibition, curated by acclaimed artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen, will chronicle how ordinary people fought for change between 1903 and 2003.

Through the work of renowned photographers including Christina Broom, Vanley Burke, David Hurn, Tish Murtha, Humphrey Spender, Edith Tudor-Hart alongside unknown documentarians, Resistance will reveal pivotal moments that shaped modern Britain – from the suffragettes to the Women of Greenham Common, and from the Battle of Cable Street to the Black People’s Day of Action following the New Cross Fire. Together, they will show how moments of resistance, both celebrated and forgotten, have shaped British history.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a major publication Resistance, compiled by Steve McQueen and edited by Clarrie Wallis with Sarah Harrison. The book includes contributions from influential voices including Gary Younge, Steve McQueen, Paul Gilroy, and Baroness Chakrabarti.

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Resistance is the culmination of a four-year project, made possible by The Ampersand Foundation Award 2023 and generously supported by the Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Charitable Foundation. Curatorial research for the exhibition has been made possible through funding from the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art. The publication is funded by The Ampersand Foundation Award. Turner Contemporary extends its gratitude to our public funders, Kent County Council and Arts Council England, for their ongoing support.