They are everywhere these days, big bushy ones, neatly curled ones, devilish pointy ones.
Now photographer Mr (Brock) Elbank has captured some of the best beards in the business with the aim of raising awareness of skin cancer.
The resulting 80 images are on display at Somerset House from tomorrow in an exhibition simply titled Beard and includes the famous facial hairs of actor John Hurt and models Ricki Hall and Billy Huxley.
Mr Elbank’s fascination with facial hair began while living and working in Sydney and then he met charity campaigner Jimmy Niggles, who grew a beard as a conversation starter to help spread the story of his friend Wes Bonny who died of skin cancer on his neck.
The photographer became a fully fledged pogonophile (one who loves or studies beards) when he started #Project60 with the aim of snapping 60 people with beards to help raise awareness of the disease. He received moe than 1,200 applications from people wanting to take part and those selected travelled to Mr Elbank’s rural Warwickshire home to sit for their portrait at their own expense.
The exhibition at Somerset House will encompass Mr Elbank’s original collection of works, plus new and unseen photographs shot especially for the exhibition.
Terrace Rooms, Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA, March 5 to 29. Details: somersethouse.org.uk
All images copyright Mr Elbank
Campaigner Jimmy Niggles who helped sparked the idea for the exhibtion
Billy Huxley
Miles Better
Brandon Baker
Ricki Hall
Harnaam Kaur
Stefan Bostrom
Frank Moon
Edwin Venn
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