Alice Mann's iconic 'Drummies' photo series comes to the UK for the first time

For the first time, Alice Mann's seminal and award-winning body of work – Drummies – will be exhibited in the UK.

Now based in London, Alice Mann is a South African photographer whose work has been shown around the world, and this year she presents her first UK solo show at David Hill Gallery in London.

Mann spent four years photographing South African female drum majorette teams in Western Cape and Gauteng schools. Her portraits from this body of work have been shared and celebrated far and wide, earning the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize in 2018 for her incredible series at just 27 years old.

Mann entered four images from Drummies into the competition and became the first winner to win for a series of images rather than an individual. As a result, the four winning images were displayed at The National Portrait Gallery, however, the series as a whole has not been exhibited in a solo show in the UK until now.

I became aware of Drummies through the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize and was completely enamored by the authenticity and connection Mann has with her subjects. Her portraits of the young girls depict strength, joy, confidence, and the pride of representing their majorette team.

Mann states that pride is so important in the communities in which she photographs, as opportunities for young women are severely limited.

"Drummies is part of my ongoing work exploring notions of femininity and empowerment in modern society," Alice explains.

"There are so many images coming from a particular viewpoint, which is often a male, Eurocentric, westernized viewpoint – it’s important that we make this broader and more inclusive."

Drummies will be exhibited at David Hill Gallery in London from September 19 through to November 30, 2024, and will include previously unseen images from the series.

If you are in London during this period I highly recommend checking it out, as there is nothing like seeing an incredible body of work such as Drummies in its physical form.

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