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“It’s not the camera that takes the picture; it’s the person.”
David Bailey
Wandering the palatial halls of London’s National Portrait Gallery it soon became evident that a truer word has never been spoken. I was met with a comforting, yet undeniably sinister sense of being watched; as the eyes of the 250 plus portraits practically escaped from their frames. Such is the strength of a David Bailey.
Bursting onto the scene in 1960 knowing anyone that was anyone of the era, Bailey made his name photographing the stars of the sixties for British Vogue. Now over half a century later his simplistic yet thought-provoking portraits have become some of the most iconic images of our time.As the first to admit that the sight of ‘real art’ often leaves me somewhat bemused, I jumped at the chance to visit an exhibition that wouldn’t leave me feeling like some sort of artistic fraud! As a self confessed fashionista, my heart was stolen by the ‘Fashion Icons and Beauty’ room. From Lagerfeld and Ford to Westwood and Moss the space was dedicated to icons; described by the man himself as the “the ultimate ones”.
Cynics out there may be of the impression that indulgent celebrity portraits can’t possibly be branded as bona fide ‘art’, but after witnessing the collection first hand, it is clear that Bailey’s acclaimed status is more than justified. Up close, said portraits are dramatic works of art; evoking a surprising emotional connection with the all to familiar faces that we so often see smattered across the tabloids. And it is not just the celebrity portraits that shatter the stereotype, the exhibition explores a side to Bailey that many may not know exists. Next door to rooms dedicated to The Rolling Stones lie intimate collections of personal family photos, evidence of his time spent in the Naga Hills, and heart wrenching portraits from the famine stricken Ethiopia of the 80s.
Bailey’s Stardust exhibition opens today until the 1st June. Don’t miss out on your chance to see this diverse body of work from one of the world’s most renowned photographers all under one beautiful London roof.
All images courtesy of The National Portrait Gallery.
