Gizza show ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't want to be sniffy about this, but there was a story in The Times last week about a woman who's currently having an exhibition at London's National Portrait Gallery. Turns out no-one had ever heard of her. Who was she? Where had she come from? And how on earth had she managed to snag herself a prestigious solo exhibition at such an esteemed establishment? Turns out she's part of the "Law Family Charitable foundation, which donated an undisclosed sum towards the gallery’s £40 million refurbishment." Aha!..

Now, there's nothing wrong with the pictures -  from what I've seen some of them are quite good - but they're nothing that you wouldn't see every week in a glossy 'celeb' magazine, and I find it a bit unfair (Well I would, wouldn't I?) that she gets such a fantastic show and the rest of us Oi Polloi never get a look in. As I launch the latest of my self-published books - two collections of portraits (One hundred and forty-six in all) - I send a message to the NPG. I have about four pounds twenty-seven in my bank account, and I'd gladly give you the lot if you'll just put some of my pictures up on your wall ..   

And we're off ..

 

 

 

 

Lovely to have pictures on walls again, even if it is only in our local library. My exhibition 'Martin de Manchester' opened on Friday night and will last for three months. Rather amusingly, it was visited yesterday by a journalist for one of the daily newspapers around here. He had a quick gander at the work, photographed a little introduction I'd written up then took four shots of me. A quick scribble in the visitors' book and he was gone. No questions, no chat, nothing! I can't wait to see the article ..

Of course, a lot of you won't be able to get to see the show, but don't worry! You can always get hold of any of the six books I've now self-published on Amazon. A tenner each, and full of wonderful pictures from the late 70s and early 80s. Order here or start dropping hints for Christmas ..

One in, one out ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I took down some photographs of mine that have been on display in our library all summer. And then I put up some more that'll be there until the end of January. I have to say, it made me feel very special. I've never replaced one exhibition with another before! And even though we're only talking about our little local bibliothèque, I think it's wonderful that they've invited me to have another show ..

The summer offering was 'Florescence', a collection of my flower photographs. Bright colours filled the walls for months. By contrast, my next showing 'Martin de Manchester' is a collection of my black and white street photography from the late 70s and early 80s. There's an opening event tomorrow evening and then it's open to the public from Saturday. I hope you can get down to see it ..

 

Up the wall ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a new exhibition in our local library. Sounds grand but, in truth, it's only because of a last-minute, stop-gap request from the lady who runs the place, who'd happened to see my some of my Florescence flower photography. "Can you put some up for the summer?" she asked. "Happily," I replied. "Just try and stop me." (I didn't really say that. I don't know how to say it in French, but you get the idea!) It was lovely to be asked though, and so here they are, for the whole month of August, in a little library in our quiet corner of France. The good news is they've asked me to exhibit again in October .. a 'proper' exhibition this time, with a vernissage - or opening night - and invited guests. I'll be showing my 70s/80s black and white documentary work from Manchester, and I hope you can make to one or both of the shows .. 

(One for the anoraks .. all the flowers in my collection were photographed on a Mamiya 645 medium format camera using Fuji Provia 100 transparency film.)

And in other news ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Happy New Year, and it's started well. Please allow me a moment to blow my own trumpet, as I go into 2023 with exciting news. I've been asked if I can stage an exhibition of my photographs, and have been offered the chance to have my work used on a new range of clothing ..

A town near Bordeaux has invited me to show my work in a Spring solo show staged in a vineyard .. details to follow .. and a fashion designer in Japan wants to use my Joy Division photographs on a new range of clothing. All very exciting ..

In other news, our car's broken down and a friend just told me he's got prostate cancer. Life sure has a way of keeping you grounded ..

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming soon .. ish! ..

Big News!..

I've been selected to have an exhibition in Manchester! I'm going to have a four month show at the Peoples' History Museum on the Left Bank in Spinningfields. A collection of my archive photography is going up to show working-class life in the 1970s - in other words,  my way of growing up as a teenager! I'm really pleased, as you might guess, but take your coat off and sit down again! Don't be rushing out the door just yet, 'cos the exhibition doesn't open until January 2015. These guys plan ahead! Gives me time to get a nice set of prints done, though!..

#peopleshistorymuseum
#documentaryphotography
#culchethstudio