So this weekend I took advantage of a long weekend break off work with a visit to the latest exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery which features photography by famed artist David Bailey.
I've always been a fan of photography more so of people than nature - I just feel I've seen one too many shots of baby animals or predators hunting their prey. Cecil Beaton and Angus McBean are among some of my favourite photographers as I'm fascinated with the way they captured the intensity, and often the true emotions, of the celebrities they photographed.
We are all very familiar with the work of David Bailey. He started out as most aspiring photographers do at the bottom of the ladder as an assistant, but gradually he found success working with Vogue and by the sixties he'd established himself as one of the UK's top photographers. He's shot a mixed bag of characters over his career including; Jean Shrimpton, the Kray Twins, the Rolling Stones, Jack Nicholson, Johnny Depp and Kate Moss.
I'm not going to lie, but I've never been a huge fan of the sixties. For those who are familiar with my blog you'll clearly see my appreciation for all things pre-1940s. I can't really explain why I don't like the era of rock and roll, but if I could travel in time you'd probably find me sipping cocktails with F. Scott Fitzgerald rather than watch a Beatles or Rolling Stones gig. However; my preferred periods of history set aside, the exhibition is great and you don't really think about the era when the photos were taken - in fact most feel like they were taken yesterday a testament to Bailey's skill in creating images that won't decay with time.
Bailey co-curated the exhibition by carefully selecting images and dedicating rooms of the gallery to themes. One minute you'll be in a room exploring Bailey's use of black and white to draw attention to the sitters appearance whilst in another room you'll be faced with a vibrant portrait of Alexander McQueen in full tartan gear.
I couldn't help but be mesmerised by some of the photos Bailey took of other famous photographers and artists. He captures a moment of blissful peace with Cecil Beaton whereas a close up of Man Ray left me with the urge to pop the blackheads on the poor mans nose!
It's clear from the exhibition that The National Portrait Gallery and Bailey not only wanted to showcase celebrities, but also the stories of people he'd captured from around the world. The exhibition not only highlighted a trip to Papua New Guinea in 1974 to photograph tribes, but also provided visual documentation of Bailey's childhood hometown of Leytonstone. As you wander around the gallery you see images resurrecting the East End lifestyle, people and clubs of the 1960s the likes of which no longer exist today. If I'm truthfully honest, these pictures stole the show for me. Sorry Johnny and Kate!
For more information about David Bailey's Stardust at The National Portrait Gallery or to book tickets visit www.npg.org.uk. It runs till the 1st of June so there's plenty of time to see the exhibition.
No comments:
Post a Comment