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Bailey Stardust exhibition

— by Alyson Walsh

David Bailey is a man with an ego bigger than Marianne Faithfull’s pants ( I do love a pair of big pants) – and a retrospective to match. The National Portrait Gallery is showing 250 of the 76-year old photographer’s fabulous portraits, some previously unseen, in an impressive overview of a career spanning more than half a century. I’ve always admired the simplicity of this working-class-lad-done-good’s work. The clean, black and white portraits allow the sitter’s character to show through  – as well as the photographer’s talent. And just in case you’re inclined to forget exactly how much talent it takes to wield a camera, there are fridge magnets and notebooks in the gift shop to remind you. 

There’s Kate Moss and Mick in a parka, and me in a parka looking at Mick, I was papped by the Guardian at the preview. Wish I’d washed my hair.

Over the years all the great and the good from fashion, film and the arts have been sprinkled with Bailey’s Stardust…

And there are rooms dedicated to his wife
Catherine Bailey and the Rolling Stones. And while I love all the glitz and
glamour, the photos of Jean Shrimpton and Jerry Hall, some of
my favourite pictures are the 1962 images of the East End of London. And this early selfie with Salvador Dali:

Bailey’s Stardust is on from 6 February – 1 June 2014.  Go see it.

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David Bailey is a man with an ego bigger than Marianne Faithfull’s pants ( I do love a pair of big pants) – and a retrospective to match. The National Portrait Gallery is showing 250 of th…