Hypergallery artist Stephen Wright is appearing at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK. The Smiths and Friends is on until Saturday November 12th 2016, with a special Vinyl Frontier event on Sunday 6th at 7h30pm.
The Smiths outside Salford Lads Club, along with many other images by Wright, has been widely used in magazines and books since and the image is part of the collections of three major UK institutions: National Portrait Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery, and The Salford Museum and Art Gallery.
“That photo of The Smiths was taken on a murky and cold Salford day in 1985. They were at the peak of their success and I’m so proud that the image has become recognisable worldwide. It’s funny really – I remember developing the shot in a makeshift darkroom in my bedroom – using chemicals that I kept in old fizzy drinks bottles.”
Stephen began his career as a live music photographer. He has shot some of the biggest names in the industry, including: Madonna, Prince, Miles Davis, Nina Simone and James Brown. His images capture iconic musicians at their peak, many of whom are sadly no longer living or no longer playing together. These images, along with their music of course, keeps them alive for us.
Jane Corry, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Norden Farm Centre for the Arts said "The Smiths were the soundtrack to my teenage years and had more worth than any living thing on earth! To have Stephen’s work here is an absolute joy and I can’t wait to hear some of the stories behind the shoot at the Vinyl Frontier Special on Sunday 6 November."
The Vinyl Frontier event starts at 7.30pm and you can buy tickets HERE. Come and hear Wright's behind-the-scenes tales, as Jeff Lloyd from Vinyl Frontier plays choice vinyl cuts from The Smiths and others, accompanied by image and video. We'll be there!
