David Bailey's portraits are timeless, there's something inexplicable about them that make us stop and stare. We will be able to get an idea about his amazing body of work at the National Portrait Gallery in February 2014. Bailey's Stardust will be one of the Gallery's largest scale photographic exhibitions and it includes previously unseen work.
Even though he's now an old man, his vibrant energy is contagious and his answers unexpected. He's disarmingly genuine and this openness is probably one of the reasons why his work is so striking. "I fall in love with them, they become the centre of my universe for a couple of hours or even a day", said Bailey about the people he photographs.
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| Jerry Hall and Helmut Newton, Cannes by David Bailey, 1983 © David Bailey |
He referred to the quote "everyone has a story" by the American film director, screenwriter and playwright Neil LaBute when describing the portraiture process. "You need to find the story without judgement or moralisation." Above all, you can sense his free spirit which is enticing.
A portrait is always a communication between subject and object and when they come together magic happens. The portraits, spanning over five decades, have been personally selected by Bailey as was also the title of this exhibition. "Stardust is one of my favourite songs of all times and we will all turn to dust, we're all part of the same, it's what makes us humans."
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| Mick Jagger by David Bailey, 1964 © David Bailey |
What seduces you more about this exhibition? Is it the new portrait of Kate Moss? The remarkable amount of interesting famous people? Or strangers from India? It doesn't really matter. Just take the opportunity to be inspired by one of the world's leading photographers.
National Portrait Gallery
6 February - 1 June 2014
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