Justin Beck’s photography is featured in the exhibit “Eulogies” showing through Feb. 23, at the SMAC Gallery in Marshall. Beck, a resident of Hutchinson, received a SMAC Individual Artist grant in 2022 to frame his photography for this exhibit. Beck is pictured with a gallery guest during the opening reception Jan. 11.
Photographer Justin Beck’s work featured at SMAC Gallery
Emmanuel Perrotin, the founder of the eponymous global gallery brand, has decided to end his collaboration with the art dealers Tom-David Bastok and Dylan Lessel “by mutual agreement”, according to a statement sent by each of the parties on 13 February 2024.
The trio had teamed up to open a five-storey space at 8 Avenue Matignon, in Paris’s 8th arrondissement in 2021, focusing on the secondary market. Perrotin has sold his shares of the Paris space to his two former business partners, who will now to operate the premises under the name Bastok Lessel.
Bastok and Lessel have also bought their former partner’s shares in Perrotin Dubai, another secondary market gallery, which opened in the Dubai International Financial Centre in November 2022. It will now operate under Bastok Lessel Dubai.
“We are proud of the exhibitions we have organised over the last two years in Paris and Dubai, and we are delighted to bring these magnificent addresses under our banner,” Bastok and Lessel say in a statement. The primary and secondary markets will be on the agenda, with a forthcoming exhibition in Paris devoted to Keith Haring, Warhol and Basquiat.
This separation and sale of shares comes after a new shareholder, Colony Investment Management, took a 60% stake in Perrotin gallery in 2023.
“The gallery will continue its secondary market activity. This announcement does not change any of our plans for the gallery’s development and expansion,” says a spokesperson for Perrotin gallery. “We wish to concentrate on all our upcoming projects, such as the inauguration of Perrotin Los Angeles at the end of the month and all our artists at the Venice Biennale, among others.”
The series features Australian photographer Krystle Wright, alongside wildlife photographers Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier, science photographer Anand Varma, conflict photographer and Pulitzer prize winner Muhammed Muheisen, fashion photographer Campbell Addy, and portrait photographer Dan Winters.
The six-episode docuseries focuses on photographers across many industries, including conservation, wildlife, and fashion, and is produced by filmmakers E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin.
“The diverse range of photographers at the heart of this series each have different focuses in their work, but the throughline across all of them remains: to inspire a deeper connection to the world and to ignite curiosity through striking images,” says Tom McDonald, EVP, Global Factual and Unscripted Content, National Geographic.
The series premieres March 18 on National Geographic, and streams March 19 on Disney+ and Hulu.
There are also images of the large scale battle for Bakhmut; the tragic impact of the environmental catastrophe following Russia’s destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in June 2023; as well as memorable portraits of Ukrainian soldiers, doctors, and firefighters in the dramatic moments of their military and everyday life.
The project of bringing the collection to the Commons has been led by Chris Awre, the University Librarian. The exhibition has been curated by John Bernasconi, Director of the University Art Collection, in close cooperation with Olena Hatton, a Ukrainian writer and journalist, and an extensive team from both inside and outside the university.
Mr Bernasconi said: “It is a great privilege to be able to bring this exhibition to the House of Commons, recording the Ukraine war through the work of some of the world’s leading war photographers.
Morris still recalls the wonder of seeing a picture developed for the first time. “I was nine and watched one of the older boys in the dark room. When he put the paper in the dish and rocked it back and forth and this image appeared, it was magic. I was smitten.
“Donald Paterson saw my amazement and took me under his wing. He taught me everything – took me to museums, gave me books and magazines to read.”
“His second love was table tennis. This was in Jamaica, in his house. In every room, he would have a map. And on the map in this room, there were tiny little pins in different countries. I asked him why and he said because I’m gonna touch all those places. And he did. He was a messenger. Throughout the ages, we’ve always had messages – particularly individuals who come with a message, male or female, good or bad. But certain people come specifically to give a message. And for Bob, the message was to be delivered through music. And that’s why to this day, people are still listening. And every song is even more pertinent. He was a revolutionary. But it was all about love. And he was, for us, the first black messenger for my generation.”
For the next few years, Morris honed his skills and the style that would stand him in good stead on the road.
“Reportage photography, Don McCullin and Henri Cartier-Bresson, that was where it was at,” he says. “The powerful images in Life magazine were partially responsible for stopping the war in Vietnam.”
Morris was inspired. “I would take pictures of my surroundings. I would take pictures of my friends. And I would go off on adventures,” he says. Many of these early works ended up in his photo series Growing Up Black, some of which are now in the Tate Britain’s collection.
Shooting on the move, when opportunity presented itself, was key to capturing Marley – “We never did posed shots. They are three or four frames. Photographing Bob you always had to be, as I call it, conscious.”
Morris was there when Bob Marley & The Wailers played to 200 people in 2,000 capacity venues across Britain later that year on the Burnin’ Tour – their fame had yet to spread outside West Indian communities. “Bob stepped out every single night as if it was sold out. For him he was building a biblical movement.”
And Morris was with Marley when the singer first saw snow. “Bunny Wailer was convinced it was a sign from Jah that they should leave Babylon, so he and Pete Tosh left and the tour collapsed.”
“Bob Marley had this incredible aura. He wasn’t a tall man, but he had such an incredible aura. In all my years of photography, he’s one of a very few people where you don’t need any light. It’s just coming out of him. He had that magic about him. It might look like these are taken in the studio, but they’re not. He just had this aura about him. And I think what he saw from those early shots that I had the ability to capture how he saw himself.”
Morris was also with Marley at his home on Hope Road in Kingston, Jamaica as the singer grew into a global superstar. “At that point, there was no one bigger. Before his success in Jamaica, Rastas were looked down on, like tramps or something. Bob spun all that around. Suddenly, there was this Rasta the entire world wanted to come and see. He bought a house on Hope Road, where the prime minister lived. Before that, if any Rasta went up that road, they would be shot, but Bob had a house there, so all the Rastas would go and no one could touch them. Because he was the man. He made Jamaican society rethink its attitude.
“One of the main reasons I’m doing this new exhibition with The Big Issue is Bob Marley’s song, Talkin’ Blues. One of the lyrics is ‘Cold ground was my bed last night/And rock stone was my pillow.’ That lyric was written from the time when he was homeless, when he was sleeping on the floor. Bob’s songs spoke to everyone. He was such a unifying force.”
Morris remained a member of Marley’s inner circle – touring the world, taking photographs, inhaling the wisdom – until the singer’s life was so tragically cut short by illness in 1981. During those years together, as Marley became one of the most famous musicians on the planet, Morris was often with him, taking pictures that would become iconic. And the striking photographs got Morris noticed.
“This was the last time we met. I never knew how ill he was. No one did, apart from his family. But when I met him that time, I knew something was wrong. He wasn’t his usual self. He wasn’t his usual vibrance. When we were talking, I almost felt self-doubt in him for the first time. Then he picked up the guitar and started playing. I didn’t realise, but he was playing Redemption Song. I was back home, staying with my mum, when we heard he’d passed. It was a newsflash on the radio. We both broke down in tears, because we knew that was the end of an era.”
Morris was handpicked by the Sex Pistols and, after their split, worked with John Lydon on the imagery for Public Image Ltd. He took a job as art director at Island Records and signed The Slits to the label. He photographed and designed graphics for Linton Kwesi Johnson, and shot everyone from Marianne Faithfull to James Brown, The Stone Roses to Benjamin Zephaniah as he became a mainstay of alternative culture.
“After that I worked with every single movement coming out of England,” he recalls. “Within the indie dance movement with bands like Flowered Up, drum and bass with Goldie, photographing The Stone Roses from the very beginning.”
But it all began with a special connection made with Bob Marley.
Bob Marley – Portraits of The King is a new exhibition of Morris’s photographs from that life-changing, world expanding, mind-blowing eight-year period. It opens this month at the Stephen Friedman Gallery, just a short walk down Oxford Street from where it all began more than 50 years ago.
“Every West Indian person was talking about Bob Marley’s music,” recalls Morris, who had lived in Dalston, East London, since arriving from Jamaica with his mother as a four-year-old.
“He was the new voice of Jamaica. The new rebel voice. His music was being played in every household. So when I read he was coming to play these gigs, I decided I wanted to meet him. I didn’t go to school that day. I went down to The Speakeasy Club at about 10am, which I now know was silly. Bands don’t get up that early! But I waited and waited and at 3pm, Bob turned up with the rest of the band. I said, ‘can I take your picture…’”
Morris was invited inside. And right from the start, the interest was mutual.
“They were doing a soundcheck,” Morris recalls. “And between songs, Bob was asking what it was like to be a young black kid living in London. He was fascinated by me; I was fascinated by him. Then he told me about the tour and asked if I wanted to come along.
“The next day I packed my bags, went to the hotel where he was staying, and one of my iconic shots is him in the van looking back and saying, ‘Are you ready, Dennis?’ And so that adventure began…”
Bob Marley – Portraits of the King is at Stephen Friedman Gallery, 28 Old Burlington Street, London, 16 February to 7 March. Entry free.
This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy!
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Barbican Business Events also exhibit annually at FOCUS London, the UK’s leading event bringing together suppliers and content creators.
The Barbican Centre, London’s iconic multi-arts and conference venue, is growing its position as a location of choice for film and photography shoots.
In the last calendar year alone, the Barbican Business Events team has hosted more than £150k of shoots, attracting prestigious brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Adidas, Harper’s Bazaar, Amazon, John Lewis, Doc Martens, French Connection, Net a Porter, Madame Tussauds, and Tinie Tempah for Chase Vodka.
As a hub for high-profile productions, the Barbican’s unique architectural and aesthetic appeal has made it a sought-after location for various high-profile shoots. This was recently highlighted when ‘The Kitchen,’ directed by Daniel Kaluuya and starring Kano, spent a week filming in the Barbican Conservatory. The film, which was recently released on Netflix, showcases the versatility and visually inspiring offering of the Barbican’s spaces.
From the lush greenery of the Conservatory to the vastness of the Barbican Hall, and the iconic brutalist architecture framing the London skyline, the Barbican offers an array of unique filming locations. These spaces provide a mix of inspiring backdrops and transformable canvases for a wide range of productions.
Barbican Centre, Conservatory (Photo: Max Colson).
With event planning and the arts at its core, the Barbican team is experienced in managing both large and small-scale productions. Each booking is allocated a dedicated event manager, ensuring shoots run smoothly and successfully. This operational excellence, combined with the venue’s stunning aesthetics, makes the Barbican an ideal choice for filmmakers and photographers alike.
“The Barbican has had many memorable moments in images and on screens over the years, however, this focus from our team on the development of new business in this area is not just reaping significant rewards, it is also opening new areas of the venue and estate for external usage,” comments Barbican Head of Sales, Jenny Waller. “As a not-for-profit organisation, the funds generated from these shoots are reinvested directly into our arts and learning programme, making this not just a growing revenue stream but an opportunity for us to enable the widest possible range of people to experience the joy of the arts.”
A representative of The Production Factory said following a recent shoot: “The Barbican team were incredibly helpful with all elements of pulling our shoot together. In preproduction they were quick to respond to all queries and very clear with the parameters we could work within. On the shoot day we had an assigned event manager to help that the day ran smoothly, and it made a huge difference having someone on hand to offer support as and when needed. Will definitely be coming back for another shoot soon!”
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
