Description
In 1952, a thick smog fell over London that lasted for five days and led to over 4,000 deaths. In response to public outcry over the effects of air pollution, the Clean Air Act was passed on 1st June 1956. Today the act is viewed as a pioneering piece of legislation because, for the first time, it addressed the issue of controlling domestic as well as industrial smoke. To recognize the importance of this act, Irene Rhoden’s The Sugar Beet Factory has been chosen as June’s Featured Work. Made 30 years ago, Rhoden’s photograph combines a number of concerns, including the decline of heavy industry during the 1970s and increased awareness of the environmental pollution that it caused.

Irene Rhoden attended the Slade Scool of Art, London, from 1974 to 1976 and later completed her MA at the London College of Printing. She has worked as a teacher for much of her career. Between 1990 and 2000 she was commissioned to create a series of official images of the new British Library.