Why Burberry's New Exhibition Is A Must-See
To celebrate their September 2017 collection Burberry has curated an exhibition of British photography. Entitled 'Here We Are' and spanning three floors of the Old Sessions House in Clerkenwell, the exhibition aims to explore: 'The British Way of life,' by showcasing works from more than 30 of the best social and documentary photographers from the past century.
Curated by President and chief creative officer of Burberry Christopher Bailey and Lucy Kumara Moore, Director of the cult fashion and photography bookshop Claire de Rouen with photographer Alasdair McLellan as co-curator, the exhibition includes works from Martin Parr, Brian Griffin and Dafydd Jones alongside over 70 images from McLellan too.
Interspersed with the photography is the brand's most recent runway collection which was shown last weekend in the same venue and became available for immediate purchase globally afterwards. Featuring tartan and vintage check wools plus Aran and Argyle knits over lace gowns, Bailey says many of the photographs on display helped form the collection explaining: 'It’s the spirit of those photographs – sometimes ironic, sometimes tender, always truthful – that has guided our September collection. Together they form the exhibition in our new show space, celebrating a very British way of life and way of dressing.'
Highlights from the exhibition include Charlie Phillip's work which captures Notting Hill in the 1950/1960s at the height of race riots and the early days of Carnival. Brian Griffin's work looks at British businessmen and suburbia while Dafydd Jones shows Cambridge and Oxford students celebrating their summer balls in the 1980s. Meanwhile, Alasdair McLellan explores teenage life in Belfast alongside portraits of soldiers, with many pieces being shown for the first time while Gosha Rubchinskiy also showcases never-before-seen works including photographic prints, projections and installations spread over two rooms. McLellan has also collaborated with the brand on a portfolio of portraits also on display for the September 2017 and rainwear collections. Shot in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, the series features a cast of both emerging and established models and actors including Florence Clapcott, Toni Bagley, Julie Adenuga, Agyness Deyn, Bel Powley and Glenda Jackson.
'When we started thinking about curating ‘Here We Are’, I knew I wanted it to celebrate a certain strand of British photography that I have always loved – one which documents the many and varied tribes and clans and classes that make up this island of ours,' explains Bailey. 'It has been an extraordinary privilege to gather together this collection of photographs, that have influenced me so much over the years. They provide a portrait of British life, in all its nuances, both exceptional and mundane, beautiful and harsh.'
Throughout the exhibition's run, the venue will also host a series of talks and performances including a poetry reading from Ben Okri, a photography workshop from artist Martin Gayford and acoustic performances from Laurel plus Ten Tonnes. Visitors will also find a pop-up of Burberry's Thomas's Cafe serving a menu of fresh, seasonal British produce with a heavy dose of Instabait including millennial pink iced tea cakes and giant jellies.