Dennis Morris (photographer)

Morris

Dennis Morris is a British photographer, best known for his images of Bob Marley and the Sex Pistols.[1][2]

Life and work

1974: Morris befriended Bob Marley and went on to photograph him until his death in 1981.[3]

1977: Morris spent a year with the Sex Pistols documenting in depth the seminal Punk band.[4][5]

1978: Morris suggested that John Lydon should accompany him and Virgin boss Richard Branson on a talent-spotting trip to Jamaica.[6]

In 1979, Morris created the logo for the band Public Image Limited and the innovative Metal Box album packaging.[7] He then became Art Director of Island Records[8] and designed album covers for Linton Kwesi Johnson, Marianne Faithfull (Broken English) and Bob Marley.

In mid-1979 Morris replaced Don Letts as vocalist of Basement 5, the avant-garde punk rock reggae band. He created their logo, image, photography and graphics and gained a recording contract with Island Records; their albums (Basement 5 – 1965 to 1980 and Basement in Dub) were produced by Martin Hannett.[9]. In 2017, the label PIAS re-released both Basement 5 albums "1965 to 1980" and "in Dub"[10]

In 2000, Morris travelled to the Philippines to photograph the crucifixion of artist Sebastian Horsley.[11]

In 2002 to mark the 40th anniversary of Jamaican independence, Morris was commissioned by BBC 2 to document reggae superstars, Jamaican street culture and the energy of the dancehall for the award-winning TV series and accompanying book: Reggae: The Story of Jamaican Music. [12] [13]

In June 2005, the Spectrum London gallery had a show of photographs by Morris documenting the daily lives, ceremonies and rituals of the Mowanjum Community Aborigine community.[14] The gallery was blessed by Aboriginal tribe leader, Francis Firebrace, wearing body paint and tribal dress.[14]

He was commissioned to show a new body of work at the Today Art Museum in Beijing in 2008 to coincide with the Olympic Cultural programme.[15]

A large installation of his punk images (part of the I am a cliché, Echoes of the Punk Aesthetic exhibition curated by Emma Lavigne) was shown at the 41st Rencontres d'Arles (France) during the summer of 2010.[16]

In 2013, he collaborated with Shepard Fairey on a body of work titled S.I.D (Superman Is Dead), culminating in an exhibition at Subliminal Projects (LA- USA).[17][18]

In April 2014, he exhibited, to critical acclaim, a large collection of his Bob Marley photographs at the Known Gallery in Los Angeles.[19][20]

Early 2016, BBC 4 made a documentary on Dennis' work part of their ongoing series: "What do artists do all day?"[21]

In 2016, the ICA (The Institute of Contemporary Arts – London) presented an exhibition of his design, marketing, art direction and photography of Public Image Ltd (PiL).[22]

Some of his photos from his Growing Up Black collection are part of Tate Britain collection and are displayed in an exhibition titled "Stan Firm inna Inglan" from November 2016 to November 2017 [23] [24]

His photographs have appeared in publications including Rolling Stone, Time, People, V, GQ, I-D, Vogue, "Frieze magazine"[25] and the Sunday Times.

He has held exhibitions worldwide (Sydney Opera House, Laforet Museum, Tokyo,[26] Contact Toronto and in galleries in London, New York, Paris, San Francisco, and Stuttgart).

His photographs have become highly collectable, including one body of work (Southall – a home from home) bought by English Heritage,[27] on permanent display at Gunnersbury Park Museum in London.[28] Growing Up Black a collection of his photographs from the Black community in Hackney is part of the permanent collection of the Hackney Museum.[29] The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, also acquired some photographs from this series.[30][30]

Morris' work has been used in books such as: Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the 20th Century, by Greil Marcus, published by Harvard University Press; Century, by Bruce Bernard, published by Phaidon Press; Punk by Steven Colgrave and Chris Sullivan; Rolling Stone: The Complete Covers 1967–1997. He has been the subject of documentaries and TV programmes in the UK and America.

Books

  • Destroy: Sex Pistols 1977. Creation Books, 1998. ISBN 1-84068-058-X.
  • Bob Marley: A Rebel Life: A Photobiography 1973–1980. Plexus Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-85965-268-8.
  • Southall – a Home from Home. Olympus, 1999. ISBN 1-84068-054-7.
  • A Bitta PIL. Parco Publishing, 2011. ISBN 978-4-89194-890-0.
  • Growing Up Black. Autograph ABP, 2012. ISBN 978-1-899282-14-2.
  • This is the one: a photo essay on the rise of the Stone Roses. WSI, 2012. ISBN 978-0-9572471-0-9.
  • "Resurrection." Space Shower Books, 2013. ISBN 978-4906700912.
  • The Bollocks: a photo essay of the Sex Pistols. Zero + Publishing, 2014. ISBN 978-1-937222-40-6.

Album sleeves photography and design

Morris at the exhibition of his work on Public Image Ltd (PIL) at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London

Exhibitions

  • 2008: Timeless, Mori Tower Gallery, Tokyo, Japan.[44]
  • 2008: 8 Visions, one Dream, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China.[45]
  • 2009: Growing Up Black, Hackney Museum, London, UK.[46]
  • 2009: Marianne Faithfull: unseen images from the Broken English session, Snap Galleries, London, UK.[36]
  • 2010: Rencontres d'Arles festival, Arles, France.[47]
  • 2011: A Bitta PIL, PARCO Factory, Tokyo, Japan.[48]
  • 2012: No, collaboration with Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Vinyl Factory, London, UK.[49]
  • 2013: SID (Superman Is Dead), collaboration with Shepard Fairey, Subliminal Projects, Los Angeles, USA.[50]
  • 2014: Bob Marley: Giant, Known Gallery, Los Angeles, USA.[51]
Morris in front of one of his photos of Bob Marley
  • 2014: The Bollocks, Known Gallery, Los Angeles, USA.[52]
Morris at an exhibition of his work
  • 2015: Staying Power, V&A Museum, London, UK (group show)[53]
  • 2016: PiL first issue to Metal Box, ICA, London, UK[22]
  • 2016: "Punk in Britain", Galleria Carla Sozzani, Milan, Italy (group show)[54]
  • 2018: "Liam Gallagher, Rock'n'Roll Star", BookMarc, Tokyo, Japan [55]

References

  1. ↑ "Marley snapper captures Jamaica's jukebox of music". BBC News. 7 July 2002. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
  2. ↑ "Shooting the Sex Pistols". BBC News. 28 September 1998. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
  3. ↑ "Photographer Dennis Morris on capturing Bob Marley at his peak". Independent.co.uk. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  4. ↑ "Legendary Photographer Dennis Morris on Bob Marley, Johnny Rotten, and Getting Shot". Vice.com. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  5. ↑ Woode, David (19 March 2016). "Rare pictures of Sex Pistols and Bob Marley revealed by legendary snapper". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  6. ↑ "BBC Arts - Marley, Lydon & me: Shooting the punky reggae party - BBC Arts". BBC. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  7. ↑ metal box stories from John Lydon's public image limited book by Phil Strongman published by Helter Skelter – ISBN 978-1-900924-66-5
  8. ↑ Destroy: Sex Pistols 1977 The Guardian London 7 June 2002 retrieved 2010-04-21
  9. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  10. ↑ "Basement 5". Rough Trade. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  11. ↑ Berens, Jessica (25 May 2002). "Interview: Sebastian Horsley". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Reggae Book". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "lloyd-bradley". Lloyd-bradley.net. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  14. 1 2 "Gallery is blessed by Aborigine", BBC, 6 June 2005. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  15. ↑ "8 Visions One Dream - British Contemporary Art Exhibition - artron.net". En.artron.net. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  16. ↑ "Les Rencontres d'Arles expositions, stages photo / exhibitions, photo workshops". Rencontres d'Arles. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  17. ↑ Brown, August (23 December 2013). "Sid Vicious and the aesthetics of punk rock". Los Angeles Times.
  18. ↑ Leahey, Andrew (16 December 2013). "15 Photos of Shepard Fairey's 'Superman Is Dead' Exhibit Opening Pictures". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  19. ↑ Leahey, Andrew (25 March 2014). "Bob Marley: The Stories Behind 17 Rare and Unseen Images Pictures". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  20. ↑ "Bob Marley: Giant – Documentary". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  21. ↑ "Dennis talks about photographing the Sex Pistols, Dennis Morris, What Do Artists Do All Day? - BBC Four". BBC. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  22. 1 2 "Dennis Morris: PiL – First Issue to Metal Box | Institute of Contemporary Arts". Institute of Contemporary Arts. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  23. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  24. ↑ Beaumont-Thomas, Interview by Ben (9 February 2017). "Dennis Morris's best photograph: a boy with a gun at Michael X's HQ". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  25. ↑ "Music". Frieze.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  26. ↑ "TAB イベント – 「DESTROY」セックス・ピストルズ写真展" (in Japanese). Tokyoartbeat.com. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  27. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 September 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  28. ↑ "Collections - Hounslow.info". Hounslow.info. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  29. ↑
  30. 1 2 "Staying Power – Dennis Morris – Victoria and Albert Museum". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  31. ↑ "Bob Marley's photographer Dennis Morris shares some iconic images". Itv.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  32. ↑ "The Mighty Diamonds - Right Time". Discogs.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  33. ↑ "XTC – White Music (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 11 June 2001. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  34. ↑ "Public Image* – Public Image (First Issue) (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  35. ↑ "Judy Mowatt - Black Woman". Discogs. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  36. 1 2 Maev Kennedy. "Photographer attributes booze and banter to memorable image of Marianne Faithfull | Art and design". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  37. ↑ "Pablo Moses - A Song". Discogs. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  38. ↑ "Linton Kwesi Johnson – LKJ in Dub (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  39. ↑ "Linton Kwesi Johnson - Bass Culture". Discogs.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  40. ↑ "Basement 5 - 1965 - 1980". Discogs.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  41. ↑ "Simply Red – Money's Too Tight (To Mention) (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  42. ↑ "Dillinja And Lemon D - The Killa-Hertz". Discogs.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  43. ↑ "The Return of Sound System Scratch: More Lee Perry (CD)". Amoeba.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  44. ↑
  45. ↑ "Visions, one Dream | exhibition | ARTLINKART | Chinese contemporary art database". Artlinkart. 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  46. ↑ "Hackney Museum presents Growing Up Black – a photographic exhibition by Dennis Morris". News.hackney.gov.uk. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  47. ↑ "Dennis Morris -". Theroamingeye.wordpress.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  48. ↑ "TAB Event – Dennis Morris "A Bitta PIL"". Tokyoartbeat.com. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  49. ↑ "Tim Noble & Sue Webster – Dennis Morris Portraits". Timnobleandsuewebster.com. 11 November 2012. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  50. ↑ "SID: Superman Is Dead | Art in Los Angeles". Time Out. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  51. ↑ "Juxtapoz Magazine – Dennis Morris "BOB MARLEY: GIANT" @ Known Gallery, LA". Juxtapoz.com. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  52. ↑ Greene, Andy (21 August 2014). "The Sex Pistols: Rarely Seen Photos Pictures". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  53. ↑ "Staying Power: Photographs of Black British Experience – in pictures | Art and design". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  54. ↑ "Punk in Britain: mostra alla Galleria Carla Sozzani – di Maria Zizza per Milano Arte Expo – Milano Arte Expo". Milanoartexpo.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  55. ↑ https://i-d.vice.com/jp/article/vbxq33/dennis-morris-rock-n-roll-star-liam-gallagher-photo-exhobition-news
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