Under the Influence: John Deakin and the Lure of Soho

Interesting exhibition at the Photographers’ Gallery of photographs taken of Soho in the 1950s and 1960s by John Deakin.

Deakin had been a photographer for Vogue but in his spare time photographers the people around him in Soho many of whom became his friends. These included many of the leading artists of the day including Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon and Frank Auerbach. The pictures had an air of louche glamour.

I loved one picture of the artists in a restaurant in which Bacon was looking cheerful! Also one of Bacon posing with 2 sides of a dead pig ie Bacon with bacon but also now has overtones of Damien Hirst! There were also nice ones of the people who worked in pubs, clubs and restaurants at the time.

Review
Evening Standard


 

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