The Photographers Gallery, London, hosts two new exhibitions in the upcoming months, featuring work ranging from the avant-garde Punk culture to a retrospective collection of the work of acclaimed British photographer Terence Donovan.

Opening Thursday 23-Sunday 26 June, the  gallery hosts a collection, or more so a visual document of Punk Culture, celebrating 40 years of the Sub-Versive lifestyle. Featuring a live gig from legendary punk band The Raincoats, the photography on show here explores the daily lifestyle of these particular punk subcultures. The work focuses upon punk’s presence and impact in Soho, exploring the social, political and ideological aspects of the culture itself and how these radically spawned a new kind of expression, personal identity and general day to day lifestyle.

The exhibition is very much so portrait based, focusing on the individual identities of the people who made up the culture itself, featuring work from a variety of photographers including; Janette Beckman, Owen Harvey, Shirley Baker, Derek Ridgers and Anita Corbin, as well as archival imagery from both Photographic Youth Music and Culture Archive’s and the EMI Archive.

The exhibition is part of Punk.London, a year-long London festival of fashion, music, film, various events and performance celebrating the movement that diversified and broadened cultural boundaries forever.

Terence Donovan: The Speed of Light is another upcoming exhibition being held at the Photographers Gallery London.  Delving into the archives of the renowned British photographer, we are able to explore the mind of the creative genius best known for his contribution to the fashion industry through photography. The exhibition celebrates a lifetime of the compiled works of the photographer, featuring various vintage material and previously unpublished imagery.

Included within these various archives of Donovan’s photography we see another largely portrait based exhibition, featuring imagery presenting intense scenes, very much so inspired by aspects of music, fashion and culture of the times to name yet a few. Also included within this exhibition are the video, moving image and short film works of Donovan, as well as the photographers much later explorations into sound, featuring collaborations with musicians Robert Palmer and Malcom McLaren.  This lengthy exhibition spans from 15 July-25 September.

For more information: www.thephotographersgallery.org.uk

Credit:
1. Ros Watkins in a fashion shoot for Acrilan, London 1961 Photo: Terence Donovan.