Bert Hardy - Picture Post Legend
14 August - 5 October
2013 sees the double anniversary of the photographer Bert Hardy and Picture Post, the magazine with which he is inextricably linked.
Born 100 years ago, Hardy is probably the best known of all the Picture Post photographers. His stories cover situations as diverse as the Korean War, the Portuguese rice harvest, fashion on the French Riviera, Italian immigrants in Britain, and the Chinese invasion of Tibet. Today, his images are still widely used in all contexts from editorial features to interior decor. The images are classic, timeless and transcend territorial and language barriers thanks to Hardy’s ability to capture the essence of every story.
First published 75 years ago in October 1938, Picture Post broke new ground for magazines, selling 750,000 copies within six hours of hitting the newsstands. Photographers worked alongside writers and layouts were picture-driven, changing attitudes towards magazine design and content forever. The wide-ranging coverage of domestic and international stories became essential reading, informing the public through both words and pictures.
Hardy’s original contact sheets and negatives were meticulously researched to uncover work which was never published in the magazine and which may never have been printed before. The main exhibition reveals the extraordinary versatility expected of Picture Post photographers. The final section showcases some of Hardy’s more familiar images which remain bestsellers today.
The exhibition also offers the opportunity to own a part of publishing and photographic history in the form of limited edition prints in a range of sizes, framed or unframed. Please ask a member of staff for details.