Brian Griffin (photographer)

Brian Griffin (born 13 April 1948) is a British photographer. His portraits of 1980s pop musicians lead to him being named the "photographer of the decade" by ''The Guardian'' in 1989. His work is held in the permanent collections of the Arts Council, British Council, Victoria and Albert Museum and National Portrait Gallery, London.

Early life

Griffin was born in Birmingham on 13 April 1948. He grew up in Lye, a town in the Black Country, an area of the British Midlands, and attended Halesowen Technical School. At age 16, he began working in a factory as a trainee draughtsman. He spent the next few years working in engineering for the British Steel Corporation, first making conveyors and later manufacturing and installing pipework in nuclear power stations. After joining a local camera club, Griffin studied (along with contemporaries Daniel Meadows, Peter Fraser and Martin Parr), PARC Projects, Photography and the Archive Research Centre. photography at Manchester School of Art, which became part of Manchester Polytechnic whilst he was there and from which he graduated in 1972.

Career

After college, Griffin moved to London to work as a fashion photographer. At the recommendation of Lester Bookbinder he instead took a job as a corporate photographer for the London-based business magazine ''Management Today,'' and later other publications, including ''Accountancy Age,'' ''Computing,'' and ''Marketing.'' His 1974 photograph "Rush Hour, London Bridge" brought him national recognition; a print is now in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. By the 1980s, Griffin had become known as a corporate photography expert. His first solo show was in London in 1981.

Around this same time, Griffin began working in the music industry, landing his first music gigs with Stiff Records. His work shooting businessmen translated well to many of the groups of the time who also dressed in suits and ties, such as The Jam and Elvis Costello and the Attractions. Over the next few years, he photographed such as acts as Depeche Mode, R.E.M., Iggy Pop, Ringo Starr, and Peter Gabriel. His work appeared on many album covers of the era, notably that of Depeche Mode's ''A Broken Frame,'' often cited as one of the best color photographs ever shot. The photograph also appears on the cover of ''Life''s 1990 edition of "World's Best Photographs 1980–1990". His work appeared in publications such as ''Esquire'' (US), ''Rolling Stone,'' ''Radio Times,'' ''The Sunday Times,'' ''The Sunday Telegraph,'' ''The Observer,'' and ''Car.''

Griffin, whose father died from lung cancer related to his factory job, drew upon the backgrounds of his photographic subjects, many of whom were workers and tradesman. This led to his developing a photographic style that has since been referred to as capitalist realism. Although the term has been used to describe other forms of art, he is credited with being the first to develop the style in photography. Griffin himself is unsure of who came up with the term. His work has been described as being influenced by Renaissance masters, Symbolism, and Surrealism, with "film noir" lighting, and he cites David Lynch as an influence.

In 1989, ''The Guardian'' named Griffin "photographer of the decade". In the same year he left still photography behind to focus on TV commercials, music videos, and films. For many years, he owned a production company, where he worked as a commercial director.

Griffin returned to stills in the early 2000s, shooting "People and the City" to help Birmingham be named a European City of Culture. He shot a documentary for Paul McCartney (2004) and worked on numerous advertising campaigns, including those for British Airways and Sony. He also worked on Birmingham's 2003 bid to become a European Capital of Culture.

In 2010, his portraiture retrospective ''Face to Face'' was exhibited in Birmingham.

In 2017, Griffin was invited to undertake an artist's residency in Béthune-Bruay, northern France.

His work has led him to photograph people such as British politician Sebastian Coe, actor Helen Mirren, actor/comedian Jonathan Ross, and fashion designer Vivienne Westwood.

Personal life

As of 2020 Griffin lived and worked in London.

Publications

*''Brian Griffin.'' Self-published, 1978. Photographs by Griffin, drawings by Barney Bubbles. Edition of 500 copies.
*''Power: British Management in Focus.'' London: Travelling Light, 1981. . With a text by Richard Smith and an introduction by Peter Parker.
*''Open: Twenty One Photographs.'' Black Pudding, 1986. Edition of 350 copies ("standard edition") plus 65 copies ("collector's edition").
*''The Black Kingdom.'' Stockport: Dewi Lewis, 2013. .
*''Pop.'' London: Gost, 2017. . With essays by Terry Rawlings and Paul Gorman.
*''Spud.'' London: Gost, 2018. .

Exhibitions

*''The Black Country,'' Collège des Bernardins, Paris, 2010/2011; New Art Gallery Walsall, 2011

Awards

*1984: Most Outstanding Award for Photography, Design and Art Direction (for the album cover of Depeche Mode's ''A Broken Frame'')
*1987: Freedom of the City of Arles, Les Rencontres d'Arles
*1988: Most Outstanding Award for Self-Promotional Item, Design and Art Direction (for ''Portraits'')
*1988: Most Outstanding Award for Promotional Magazine, Design and Art Direction (for ''Broadgate'')
*1989: Most Outstanding Award for Photography in a Book, Design and Art Direction (for ''Work'')
*1989: Photographer of the Decade, ''The Guardian''
*1991: Best Photography Book in the World, Barcelona Primavera Fotografica
*2006: Photographer of the Year, British Press Awards (shortlisted)
*2013: Royal Photographic Society's Centenary Medal
*2014: honorary doctorate, Birmingham City University (for his lifetime contribution to the City of Birmingham)
*2016: Best in Books for Design, ''Creative Review''

Collections

Griffin's work is held in the following permanent collections:
* Arts Council, UK
*British Council
*Victoria and Albert Museum, London
*National Portrait Gallery, London: 26 prints (as of September 2020)

References

External links

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffin, Brian
1948 births
Living people
English filmmakers
21st-century British photographers
20th-century British photographers
People from Birmingham, West Midlands
Fine art photographers
Alumni of Manchester Metropolitan University
People from the Black Country