Jane Bown had been taking portraits for the Observer newspaper since 1949 and in that time has photographed everyone from Bertrand Russell to the Beatles to Samuel Beckett to the Queen. Working almost exclusively in black and white and with an absolute economy of means her portraits are immediately recognizable and many have become classics of the genre.
The exhibition consists of over fifty photographs from her sixty year carrer, featuring remarkable portfolio of portraits of a range of public figures and popular culture icons, including previously unpublished photographs. Bown captures soft, delicate portraits often depicting true character and reflective moments not seen by the public, however each photograph is strong and impacting. Her consistant style was reflected through exhibition, it flowed through six decades of consistant, yet unique, monochrome digital prints on fibre based baryta paper in the same size and frame format, making sixty years of work feel united as one piece of work.
Bowns work has a beautifull sense of silent communication between subject and observer, this may be a result of her simplistic style, and pressense in the photographs.
"Exposures shows why Jane Bown is so well regarded by both other photographers and her subjects. It shows her work as expressive and capturing nuances of her subjects’ character without technique and the photographer’s style getting in the way. Exposures shows simplicity of style and soundness of technique that is so difficult to achieve without it intruding. Exposures shows Jane Bown as the mistress of her art and it speaks for her better than mere words ever could."
The exhibition consists of over fifty photographs from her sixty year carrer, featuring remarkable portfolio of portraits of a range of public figures and popular culture icons, including previously unpublished photographs. Bown captures soft, delicate portraits often depicting true character and reflective moments not seen by the public, however each photograph is strong and impacting. Her consistant style was reflected through exhibition, it flowed through six decades of consistant, yet unique, monochrome digital prints on fibre based baryta paper in the same size and frame format, making sixty years of work feel united as one piece of work.
Bowns work has a beautifull sense of silent communication between subject and observer, this may be a result of her simplistic style, and pressense in the photographs.
Sinead O Connor
Samuel Beckett 1976
"Exposures shows why Jane Bown is so well regarded by both other photographers and her subjects. It shows her work as expressive and capturing nuances of her subjects’ character without technique and the photographer’s style getting in the way. Exposures shows simplicity of style and soundness of technique that is so difficult to achieve without it intruding. Exposures shows Jane Bown as the mistress of her art and it speaks for her better than mere words ever could."
Forward by Luke Dodd and David Bailey
Jane Bown: Exposures is a free exhibition and will be running at The Gallery, at Winchester discovery center running from 23rd March untill 20th May
If you are interested in the life and work of Jane Bown here is a video from the exhibition by the guardian:
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