10 20 July 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113
Alsoout nowThelatestandbestbooksandexhibitions
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BrianGriffin:Work and
OtherStories
MMXGallery, 448 NewCrossRoad, London
SE146TY.mmxgallery.com
WHENBrianGriffin was35,hewona DesignandArt
DirectionawardforhisworkontheDepecheMode
albumcoverA BrokenFrame. Evertheeccentric,he
decidedtocollecthisawarddressedastheRoyal
AlbertHall.Griffin’sphotographiccareerbeganin the
1970sshootingcorporateportraitsforManagement
Today. Unsurprisingly,hehadanunorthodoxapproach
toportraiture,andhisworkwasoftenhumorousand,
at times,surreal.Hisunusualdepictionof menin suits
attractedtheattentionof themusicindustry,with
smartlydressedbandssuchasTheJamandUltravox
requestinghisservices.In 2013hereceivedthe
CentenaryMedalfromtheRPSforhisachievements
in photography.A selectionof Griffin’spicturesfrom
the1970sand’80s(manyof themvintagesilver
gelatinorsilverbromideprints)is onshow at MMX
Gallery until 3 August.Tracy Calder© BRIAN GRIFFIN, COURTESY OF BRIAN GRIFFIN & MMX GALLERY© DAVID DREBEN. ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDBefore TheyWe r e Fa m ou steNeues,£100, 200 pages,hardcover,ISBN978-
T
henatureof celebrity
photographyhasshifted
significantly.Tothisday,Terry
O’Neillhascontinuedto lament
theshiftsin theprocessthatwas,back
in the20thcentury,moreaboutintimate
collaborationthana simplePRnecessity.
It usedto bethata photographerwould
spendrealtimewiththeirsubject,perhaps
visitingthemin theirhomesortakingthem
onlocationto shootreelafterreelof film.
Now,agentsandPRcompaniessitin the
middleof theprocessusheringthesubject
in andoutof thestudioin minuteswith
barelya wordspoken.
ThisbookfromphotographerDavid
Drebinis notableforthefactthatit is
a collectionthatdealswithartistsand
culturalfiguresbeforetheyhitthebig
time.Asa result,wegeta rareand
intriguinglookat thesepeoplebeforethe
machinesof celebrityswallowedthemup
andturnedthemintonear-ephemeral
icons.Amongtheimagesweseeare
captivatingportraitsandcontactsheets
of SteveJobs– whoDrebinpresentsas
anisolatedthinker– beforetherelease
of thefirstgame-changingiPod.We
alsoseeactorCharlizeTheron,here
representedasa neo-noirfemmefatale
dressed in red and placed within a
locationthatsuggestsmysteryin its
interplayof lightof shadow.
Drebinis adeptat tellingusa story
throughhisimagesusingonlythemost
minimalmeans.Throughlight,location,
andsimplecostumeheis abletocreate
a digestiblenarrativethatemphasises
ratherthanobscureshissubject.Butthis
lavishtomeisn’tjustaboutthecelebrities
Drebinhasphotographed;it is about
Drebinhimself.If anything,thebook
functionsasa careerretrospectivethat
findsspacetolookat Drebin’sowncareer
beforehewasfamous.It’sfascinatingto
explorethegrowthof thismultimedia
artistandlookat hisworkbeyondthe
portraitureforwhichhe’sbecomeknown.
Thepriceof thebookmaybesomewhat
excessive,butif you’relookingfora good
insightintohowtheworldof celebrity
portraitureworks,thisis certainly
a volumetoconsider.
★★★★★Oliver AtwellBOOKBOOKBy David DrebinDavidDrebin’s archiveincludesthis
captivating photo of Emily Blunt
EXHIBITIONBigBang,Broadgate,
London, 1986SpaceDogs:TheStoryofthe
CelebratedCanineCosmonauts
ByMartinParrandRichardHollingham,
LaurenceKing,£12.99,128 pages, softcover,
ISBN 9781786274113
THISquirkybookcoincideswiththe
50thanniversaryof themoonlandings,
andtellsthestoryof caninecosmonauts
whopavedthewayfortheirhuman
successorsin spacemissions.Trying
nottodwellheavilyonthefateof Laika,
Belka,Strelkaandher‘pioneeringpupnikfriends’,
thesefour-leggedfriendsareimmortalisedin history,
andthebookis a greatwaytothankthemfortheir
services.It’sfilledwithimagesfromMartinParr’s
‘20-yearobsession’collectionof spacedog
ephemera,andthetextbyRichardHollinghamwalks
youthroughthehistoryof caninecosmonauts.It is a
fascinatingreadforanybodyinterestedin spacetravel,
dogs, or both. I lovedit.★★★★★Amy Davies‘Thebookfunctionsasa careerretrospectivethatfindsspacetolook
at Drebin’s own career’Contactsheetofa youngCharlizeTheron,
before she won an Oscar and became famous© DAVID DREBEN. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED