A display of intimate celebrity portraits by Phil Griffin on show in London promotes wellbeing in the entertainment industry
Filmmaker and photographer Phil Griffin has worked with artists around the world, and London’s Brownsword Hepworth Gallery will soon be exhibiting a series of his previously un-shown portraits – taken from 25 years in film and photography.
The aptly titled Unseen Icons brings together intimate portraits that Griffin captured during his career in the entertainment industry. Before turning to photography, the artist was as a dancer and choreographer. Later working as a creative director, he was able to forge close friendships with his sitters, that include members of royal family and the superstars from the entertainment industry.
A good photograph is never taken - but given. My job was to make myself available to capture these moments of stillness from each of my collaborators, so each portrait is a moment of pure truth and self-expression.
Phil Griffin
The famous faces on show at the Chelsea-based gallery include Diana Ross, Amy Winehouse, Taylor Swift, Jon Bon Jovi, Adele, Sir Paul McCartney, HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duke of Cambridge.
Griffin's photographs erase the preconceptions of these celebrated public figures, and capture them in a more vulnerable and honest light.
Six shots from the show…
Amy Winehouse, by Paul Griffin, Unseen Icons, Brownsword Hepworth Gallery (Image credit: Phil Griffin)
HRH Prince William by Paul Griffin, Unseen Icons, Brownsword Hepworth Gallery (Image credit: Phil Griffin)
Prince William & Taylor Swift, Kensington Palace 2013, by Paul Griffin, Unseen Icons, Brownsword Hepworth Gallery
Annie Lennox by Paul Griffin, Unseen Icons, Brownsword Hepworth Gallery
Jamal Edwards, by Paul Griffin, Unseen Icons, Brownsword Hepworth Gallery (Image credit: Phil Griffin)
Paul McCartney by Paul Griffin, Unseen Icons, Brownsword Hepworth Gallery
Exhibition details
Griffin wants to use his photos to further the conversation about wellbeing in the arts and entertainment industry. The exhibition is just the first step of a wider project aiming to promote this, and a proportion of the proceeds will be donated to support The Princes Trust and Amy Winehouse Foundation programs.
Unseen Icons will be on show at the Brownsword Hepworth Gallery, 15 Walton Street, London SW3 2HX,between 24 October - 23 November 2018.
Lauren is a writer, reviewer, and photographer with ten years of experience in the camera industry. She's the former Managing Editor of Digital Camera World, and previously served as Editor of Digital Photographer magazine, Technique editor for PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, and Deputy Editor of our sister publication, Digital Camera Magazine. An experienced journalist and freelance photographer, Lauren also has bylines at Tech Radar, Space.com, Canon Europe, PCGamesN, T3, Stuff, and British Airways' in-flight magazine (among others). When she's not testing gear for DCW, she's probably in the kitchen testing yet another new curry recipe or walking in the Cotswolds with her Flat-coated Retriever.
