Lewis Greener, UK: “The sensational IWF”

“The sensational IWF” looks at a group of amateur wrestlers from Newcastle Upon Tyne who perform as the sensational International Wrestling Federation. They travel the north-east of England, performing their show in the back rooms of working men's clubs.
While the work could be said to touch on society's fascination with violence and aggression as a form of entertainment, the work is more complex than that, just as violent situations or acts are not always as clear cut as they first appear.
My images of the IWF show the effects on the wrestlers of having to perform and carry out these violent acts while keeping their opponents and themselves protected from serious damage. While the strikes and throws they perform on each other satisfy the audiences need for drama, the signs of physical discomfort and strain on the wrestlers faces are mainly from the dangerous balancing act they play within themselves, keeping the fight realistic and aggressive while maintaining control, throwing their opponent in a way that avoids serious injury while still appearing devastating. While their touches seem to be damaging the opponent they are in reality helping to protect them from irreversible damage.
By showing the wrestlers both before and after their fights we can see the difference between their characters bravado and aggression and the reality of the violence on themselves, they appear drained and damaged, physically as well as mentally. As hard as they try to protect each other its guaranteed that they will come away with at least heavy bruising each and every fight. The effect on the mind of protecting an opponent who physically hurts you must be staggering, placing your trust in someone to perform such high risk maneuvers would be stressful enough, but to do so while having to control your own aggression and remain in a character that is different from you natural state is unbelievable.
Roland Barthes stated “the function of the wrestler is not to win, it is to go exactly through the motions which are expected of him” these images illustrate that and demonstrate the complexities in doing so.