Bailey: Vision and Sound a celebration of David Bailey's portraits of legendary musicians over the past six decades. With photographs that trace movements of jazz, the rumbling ascension of rock and roll, punk, Britpop, hip-hop, and more, the exhibition explores Bailey's influential role in cultivating the image of music mediated through his lens.
Having seized early on the zeitgeist of a new age, Bailey's photography ushered in a fresh energy, shifting style, and new attitude in culture. Against a striking white backdrop, his subjects often appear close-up and personal, cropped and in motion. Long recognised for his radical eye, his interests have extended beyond fashion into other creative fields, naturally gravitating toward musicians and other creatives, photographing them in the process.
Music has always been a passion for Bailey. As a teenager, he played the trumpet, thinking for a while that music - rather than photography - might be his future. Among his musical heroes is Duke Ellington, who he considers to be one of the geniuses of the twentieth century. The exhibition includes Bailey's shot of Ellington in rehearsal, casting a sharp eye across the room - a moment of solitude, not the typical image of a showman on stage. Other notable portraits of his Jazz heroes include Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie.
Among several photographs of the Rolling Stones in the exhibition is an early portrait of a young Mick Jagger that reflects Bailey's longstanding friendship with the singer. Tracing a time before the Stones had ever made a record, Jagger accompanied Bailey on a jaunt to Paris. A picture of the fresh-faced Jagger, at the time an unknown, was selected by Diana Vreeland for American Vogue, having been rejected by British Vogue. 'I don't care who he is,' she said, 'it's a fantastic picture. I want to publish it.' Another scene recounts The Rolling Stones, resplendent in technicolour velvets and silks, stalking the grounds of Avebury in 1968.
The exhibition features a unique work on canvas depicting John Lennon and Paul McCartney, which relates to the photographic portrait in his groundbreaking Box of Pin-Ups series; Bailey recognised the unique bond of the song-writing duo's relationship. Another double-portrait, this time depicting Noel and Liam Gallagher, grasps the period of 'Cool Britannia'. 'I worked quickly as I wanted them out of the studio – I thought they might kill each other,' Bailey recalls of the Oasis siblings rivalrous time in front of his lens.
Bailey's expansive practice stems from being at once an outsider and insider, as interested in documenting moments behind the music as the people before him. In one picture, the band Queen appears jubilant, having just left the stage following their triumphant LiveAid performance. We also see out-takes from photographic sessions he conducted for various record covers, including the sleeve for The Rolling Stones Jumping Jack Flash (1968), the cover of Goats Head Soup (1973), and the iconic shot from Alice Cooper's Billion Dollar Babies (1973). 'We actually had a million dollars in cash in the studio for the shoot', Bailey recalls. 'Afterwards the bank counted the whole lot, and there was ten dollars missing. It was found burning on a light.'
The exhibition is a testament to Bailey's vision. His portraits draw on the qualities of one's essence that brings forth a refreshing clarity of their being. 'It's not the camera that takes the picture; it's the person', Bailey has stated. Among the exhibition's highlights is a touching colour portrait of Bob Marley (1965), an as-yet-unseen portrait of the American jazz trumpeter and composer Dizzy Gillespie, alongside other iconic works portraying Kate Bush, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, and Grace Jones, and Damon Albarn.
Having formed friendships with many musicians over the past six decades, Bailey has photographed them with all their vitality and all his stunning clarity, which in turn, has informed the visual culture of music; his images become embedded into their history.
Press release courtesy Dellasposa Gallery.
14 Phillimore Walk
London, W8 7SA
United Kingdom
www.dellasposa.com
+442032864633
The gallery is open by appointment only until further notice.
Monday-Friday: By Appointment
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed