A massive project is underway in the UK to photograph women members of parliament (MPs) to celebrate the milestone of 40% female representation in British politics achieved following the 2024 general election.
To date, The 40% Project has seen more than 250 serving women MPs photographed by some 130 women photographers, with a goal to publish the images in a commemorative book later this year.
Sue Wright, Chair of the RPS Women in Photography Group, the project organizer, said: “When women reached 40% representation in Parliament, we felt very strongly that this was a moment that needed to be documented — not just politically, but photographically too.”
Women MPs from across the political spectrum have featured in the project, including well-known figures such as Suella Braverman, the former Home Secretary and now a member of Reform UK, and politicians currently making waves such as Hannah Spencer, the most recent Green Party member elected to Parliament.
“This isn’t about politics. It’s about representation. We wanted to create a visual record of a moment in history before it simply became another statistic,” Wright said.
Going “beyond traditional political portraiture,” Wright said the images reveal the personalities “behind the role,” perhaps best seen in the portrait of Liberal Democrat MP Tessa Munt — known for visiting local farmers — photographed sitting atop a mound of apples at an orchard far from the halls of Westminster.
The images also reflect the broad range of creative styles the photographers have brought to the project, often working not only creatively but quickly around MPs’ busy schedules, with some shoots lasting no more than 15–30 minutes.
While the project celebrates the public servants at the center of the portraits, it’s also an ode to the women photographers behind the cameras, who Wright says historically have also been “missing from the visual record.”
The 40% Project is underway now, and the volunteer-led initiative is still seeking women photographers to capture portraits of women MPs. Currently, there is no date set for the publication of the project book, however, a Kickstarter campaign to support its publication, along with planned exhibitions, launches in July.
More information about The 40% Project and how to get involved is available on the Royal Photographic Society website.
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