Through the eyes of photographer John Deakin, explore the hidden corners and colourful characters of 1950s and early 60s London Soho.
Considered to be one of the greatest postwar British photographers, Deakin was renowned for his penetrating portraits, haunting street scenes and striking fashion work.
This exhibition, Under the Influence: John Deakin and the Lure of Soho comprises 75 framed photographs and includes rarely seen and never before shown images – such as portraits of painter Lucian Freud, Frank Auerbach and Francis Bacon.
It also features writers Dylan Thomas, Daniel Farson and Jeffrey Bernard, the celebrated beauty and artist’s model Henrietta Moraes and Muriel Belcher, proprietor of fabled drinking den The Colony Room.
John Deakin
Timothy Behrens, Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, Frank
Auerbach and Michael Andrews at Wheeler’s, Old
Compton Street, 1963
© 2014 John Deakin Archive
With a keen ambition to be recognised as an artist, rather than a photographer, Deakin all but gave up photography in the 1960s in favour of painting. In contrast to the uncompromising quality of his photographic portraits, his paintings were characterised as simple, colourful and naïve and were met with limited success.
Gathered together for the first time a selection of these paintings and collages will be on display in the third section of the exhibition. The fourth and final section will highlight some of Deakin’s fashion work and his little-known early portraits of anonymous drag artists.
John Deakin
Elizabeth Smart, 1952
© The John Deakin Archive
In addition to these, the exhibition will also feature related ephemera such as Deakin’s dismissal letter from Vogue and subsequent correspondence with its editor and Deakin’s champion Audrey Withers, alongside a number of his magazine layouts.
The exhibition is accompanied by the publication Under the Influence: John Deakin, Photography and the Lure of Soho, published by Art / Books in association with the John Deakin Archive and The Photographers’ Gallery.
Under the Influence: John Deakin and the Lure of Soho is at The Photographers' Gallery, Ramillies Street, W1F, April 11 until July 13.
Details: thephotographersgallery.org.uk, 0207 087 9300, artbookspublishing.co.uk
John Deakin
Jackie Ellis, actress, 1960s
© The John Deakin Archive
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article