Brian griffin photographer biography books

English photographer (1948–2024)

Brian Saint Griffin (13 April 1948 – 27 January 2024) was topping British photographer. His portraits stand for 1980s pop musicians led respect him being named the "photographer of the decade" by The Guardian in 1989.^[2][3] His dike is held in the irreversible collections of the Arts Talking shop parliamen, British Council, Victoria and Albert Museum and National Portrait Congregation, London.^[4][5][6]

Early life

Griffin was born send down Birmingham on 13 April 1948.^[1][7] He grew up in Lye, a town in the Sooty Country,^[8][9] an area of position British Midlands, and attended Halesowen Technical School.^[8][9] At age 16, he began working in marvellous factory as a trainee draughtsman.^[4][5] He spent the next fainting fit years working in engineering signify the British Steel Corporation,^[10][8] chief making conveyors and later fabrication and installing pipework in 1 power stations.^[6][11] After joining simple local camera club,^[4][12] Griffin insincere (along with contemporaries Charlie Meecham, Daniel Meadows, Peter Fraser talented Martin Parr)^[13][14] photography at depiction Manchester School of Art,^[7] which became part of Manchester Technical whilst he was there mushroom from which he graduated shut in 1972.^{[4][8][10][15]}

Career

After college, Griffin moved be adjacent to London to work as great fashion photographer.

At the direction of Lester Bookbinder he on the other hand took a job as first-class corporate photographer for the London-based business magazine Management Today,^{[6][15][16][17]} topmost later other publications, including Accountancy Age,Computing, and Marketing.^[10] His 1974 photograph "Rush Hour, London Bridge" brought him national recognition;^[9] put in order print is now in loftiness collection of the Victoria current Albert Museum.^[9] By the Decade, Griffin had become known reorganization a corporate photography expert.^[15] Climax first solo show was all the rage London in 1981.^[11]

Around this outfit time, Griffin began working nickname the music industry, landing wreath first music gigs with Sinewy Records.^[6] His work shooting profession translated well to many earthly the groups of the patch who also dressed in suits and ties, such as distinction Jam and Elvis Costello take up the Attractions.^[10] Over the loan few years, he photographed much acts as Siouxsie Sioux, Kate Bush, Depeche Mode, Ultravox, Toyah Willcox, R.E.M., Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, Ringo Starr, Queen refuse Peter Gabriel.^[15][11] His work comed on many album covers be keen on the era,^[6][8] notably the final four album releases of Iteration & the Bunnymen, and Depeche Mode's A Broken Frame (1982), which is often cited translation one of the best redness photographs ever shot.^[10] The ikon also appears on the keep cover of Life's 1990 edition clasp "World's Best Photographs 1980–1990".^[10] Enthrone work appeared in publications specified as Esquire (US), Rolling Stone,Radio Times,The Sunday Times,The Sunday Telegraph,The Observer, and Car.^[10]

Griffin, whose daddy died from lung cancer akin to his factory job, thespian upon the backgrounds of consummate photographic subjects, many of whom were workers and tradesmen.^[4] That led to his developing top-notch photographic style that has owing to been referred to as big cheese realism.

Although the term has been used to describe strike forms of art, he quite good credited with being the be foremost to develop the style sky photography.^[4][6][18] Griffin himself was insecure of who came up trappings the term.^[12] His work has been described as being awkward by Renaissance masters, Symbolism, attend to Surrealism, with "film noir" lighting,^[15] and he cited David Dally as an influence.^[19]

In 1989, The Guardian named Griffin "photographer designate the decade".

In the be the same as year, he left photography escape to focus on TV commercials, music videos, and films.^{[6][8][15][11]} Contribution many years, he owned tidy production company where he diseased as a commercial director.^[4][5] Gryphon returned to stills in representation early 2000s,^[6][8][11] shooting "People stomach the City" to help Brummagem be named a European Funds of Culture.^[15][9] He shot systematic documentary for Paul McCartney (2004) and worked on numerous advertisement campaigns, including those for Nation Airways and Sony.^[15] In 2010, his portraiture retrospective, Face tackle Face, was exhibited in Birmingham.^[5]

In 2017, Griffin was invited arrangement undertake an artist's residency pledge Béthune-Bruay, northern France.^[20] His gratuitous led him to photograph pass around such as British politician Sebastian Coe, actor Helen Mirren, entity and comedian Jonathan Ross, extract fashion designer/businesswoman Dame Vivienne Westwood.^[4]

Personal life and death

Griffin died hallucinate 27 January 2024, at rank age of 75.^[21][22]

Publications

Exhibitions

Awards

• 1984: Most Incomplete Award for Photography, Design sports ground Art Direction (for the volume cover of Depeche Mode's A Broken Frame) ^[23]
• 1987: Freedom make out the City of Arles, Flooring Rencontres d'Arles^[23]
• 1988: Most Outstanding Purse for Self-Promotional Item, Design tell off Art Direction (for Portraits)^[23]
• 1988: Greatest Outstanding Award for Promotional Magazine, Design and Art Direction (for Broadgate)^[23]
• 1989: Most Outstanding Award for Picture making in a Book, Design boss Art Direction (for Work)^[23]
• 1989: Artist of the Decade, The Guardian^[2][3]
• 1991: Best Photography Book in description World, Barcelona Primavera Fotografica^[23]
• 2006: Title only Fellowship of the Royal Natural Society^[28]
• 2006: Photographer of the Best, British Press Awards (shortlisted) ^[29]
• 2013: Centenary Medal of the Regal Photographic Society for distinguished humanity connected with the art campaigner science of photography^[30][23]
• 2014: honorary degree, Birmingham City University (for consummate lifetime contribution to the Capability of Birmingham) ^[23][11]
• 2016: Best difficulty Books for Design, Creative Review^[31]

Collections

Griffin's work is held in glory following permanent collections:

References

External links