Ray’s a Laugh: A Human Portrait Through Time – Book Review

Ray’s a Laugh: A Human Portrait Through Time – Book Review

Richard Billingham’s Ray’s a Laugh has long been hailed as one of the most significant works in contemporary photography. Initially published in the mid-1990s, the photobook offered a brutally honest and raw portrayal of Billingham’s family, particularly his father, Ray, and his mother, Liz, in their cluttered, working-class Birmingham flat. In 2024, Mack Books reissued this iconic work, recontextualizing the original images while expanding the narrative to offer new depth and understanding of the family dynamics.

The 2024 edition, referred to as Billingham’s “director’s cut,” expands on the original, offering a more comprehensive collection of images alongside a more nuanced approach to the themes of addiction, poverty, and familial love. The new edition adds further complexity to a profoundly affecting body of work through careful sequencing and including previously unseen photographs.

To purchase this book, please go here.

All images – Courtesy of the artist and MACK.

A More Expansive Narrative

The original Ray’s a Laugh was a compact, potent photobook that captured the most essential and often uncomfortable moments of the Billingham family life. It painted a vivid picture of Ray’s alcoholism, Liz’s eccentricities, and the strained dynamics of a working-class family living in a council flat. Billingham’s raw, unpolished photographs were revolutionary for their refusal to romanticize poverty, and their stark, sometimes unsettling intimacy created a portrait of his family that was both personal and universally relatable.

The 2024 reissue, however, takes this initial vision and amplifies it. With over 300 pages, it triples the size of the original publication, adding new images and reordering the narrative to offer a more layered and reflective experience. The photobook begins with stark black-and-white images that set a sombre tone, focusing initially on Ray and his struggles. This transition from monochrome to the vibrant colour photographs we know from the original adds depth, symbolizing the shifts in the family’s life and emphasizing the sensory overload of their living space.

A Richer Emotional Landscape

One of the most notable aspects of the reissue is the increased emotional depth achieved through the expanded content. Billingham’s images of Ray, often depicted as slumped, bleary-eyed, and weathered by his alcoholism, are interspersed with new photographs that offer rare moments of tenderness. For example, images of Ray at more reflective moments, perhaps while sitting quietly or engaging in activities other than drinking, provide a fuller sense of his humanity.

Including new photographs also enriches the family dynamic portrayed in the book. Where the original images emphasized the chaos and disorder of the flat, the reissue introduces new perspectives that show the family members in different lights, making the viewer question what lies beneath the surface of these raw, unfiltered moments.

While the original work unapologetically focused on dysfunction, the expanded edition emphasizes moments of resilience and connection. For instance, rare moments of intimacy, such as Ray’s interaction with Liz or the family’s interactions with their pets, hint at the complexities of familial love, even amid hardship. These moments starkly contrast to the overwhelming sense of decay and confusion that dominates much of the book, providing a fuller, more complex portrait of family life.

A Mastery of Aesthetic and Layout

The visual style of Ray’s a Laugh is as crucial to its impact as its subject matter. Billingham’s early use of consumer-grade film cameras gave the images a grainy, raw aesthetic that felt both immediate and sincere. In the 2024 edition, Mack Books has upgraded the printing quality, ensuring that the richness of these images shines through without sacrificing their rawness. The high-quality reproduction of the colour photographs—rich in saturated red, green, and yellow hues—enhances the viewer’s sensory experience. These colours, often found in the garish décor of the flat, create an overwhelming visual landscape that mirrors the emotional tumult within.

The book’s sequencing is central in deepening the viewer’s engagement with the material. The expanded version takes more time to unfold, allowing for a slower, more contemplative experience. The shifts between full-page spreads and smaller, more intimate images encourage viewers to pause and reflect on each scene before moving on to the next. The sense of pacing creates a rhythm that mirrors the ebb and flow of everyday life, where moments of calm are interrupted by bursts of intensity or absurdity.

Themes of Addiction, Poverty, and Family Struggles

The central themes of Ray’s a Laugh—addiction, poverty, and family—are as relevant today as when the book was first published. Ray’s alcoholism is a persistent theme in the photo book, and his struggle with it is depicted unflinchingly. Billingham captures Ray during his worst moments: hunched over with a drink, his face swollen and tired, or passed out in a dishevelled room. Yet, these images are not designed to ridicule or exploit. Instead, they present Ray as a complex individual caught in the grips of addiction, inviting viewers to engage with him on a deeper, more empathetic level.

In contrast, Liz is portrayed with a mix of humour and pathos. Her quirky and often erratic behaviour, from her obsessive care for the family’s cats to her attempts to maintain order in the flat, offers a counterpoint to Ray’s decline. While the book does not shy away from showing her imperfections, it also presents her as a figure of resilience. Her ability to carry on, to manage the chaos around her, becomes a subtle form of strength in the face of overwhelming odds.

Despite the overwhelming focus on dysfunction, Ray’s a Laugh is not without its moments of humour. The absurdity of the everyday—cats leaping across furniture, family members interacting with a combination of affection and exasperation—provides an emotional balance to the more complex scenes. This mix of light and dark creates a nuanced portrayal of a family that is far from perfect but persists despite its struggles.

Refining the Legacy: Critical Reception and Impact

The reissue of Ray’s a Laugh has been met with critical acclaim, with many reviewers praising the expanded edition for adding more emotional depth and context to the original work. The decision to include previously unseen photographs has been particularly lauded, as it allows viewers to see Billingham’s family from new angles, offering richer insights into their lives.

Moreover, the 2024 reissue helps reaffirm Ray’s a Laugh’s place as one of the most important works in the history of contemporary photography. It continues to influence a generation of photographers who seek to capture unfiltered, raw images of family life, poverty, and struggle. Billingham’s refusal to sanitize his subjects or romanticize their circumstances has made Ray’s a Laugh a landmark work in documentary photography.

Conclusion: A Timeless Portrait of Family and Struggle

The 2024 reissue of Ray’s a Laugh by Mack Books represents a significant evolution of Richard Billingham’s original vision. The expanded content, improved presentation, and careful reordering of the photographs enhance the emotional and thematic resonance of the work, offering viewers a more comprehensive understanding of the family dynamics at play. Through its intimate portrayal of Ray, Liz, and their children, Ray’s a Laugh continues to offer profound insights into the complexities of addiction, poverty, and family life.

As a reissue, Ray’s a Laugh preserves the legacy of the original book and ensures its relevance for future generations. Its striking visuals and deeply human storytelling remain a touchstone of contemporary photography, capturing the chaos and tenderness that define family life.

To purchase this book, please go here.

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