Instead, she and assistant Hannah are concentrating on the mammoth task of trawling though the countless boxes of negatives – rating, scanning and cataloguing this unique, priceless archive of honest and frank photographs.
“They’re hugely untouched – this exhibition is the tip of the iceberg,“ says the photographer.
“It’s a labour of love – my greatest joy would not be so much selling the pictures – obviously it’s very nice – but it’s really to have a record and history of time that’s thoroughly organised; how I’d want it to be is just to be able to sit down with Hannah and do a box and half [of negatives] every day.
“It’s such fun to take a picture and remember where you were, and I think a lot of people of my generation have those memories and those experiences, but not all of them have got the pictures, and if they have they’re probably quite blurry snaps... and perhaps now and then I’ve got a good shot.”
As this exhibition shows, there are more than few.
* Hanging Out With Carinthia West runs at St Paul’s Gallery, Northwood Street from November 12 to January 28. www.stpaulsgallery.com
In contrast to Carinthia West’s ‘off duty’ hanging out images, the current photographic exhibition at The Public in West Bromwich finds its subjects in more conventional portrait poses.
That’s not to say there aren’t a few treats – The Who high kicking in their dressing room and Hendrix playing the guitar with his teeth are two of the unusual delights among the 23 iconic pictures which make up My Generation: Glory Years of British Rock.
All were taken by Harry Goodwin, a Mancunian who, between 1964 and 1973, was resident snapper at the Top of the Pops studio.
As well as the Who’s Who of music captured in the shots – ‘Little’ Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Elton John – there is Goodwin’s own fascinating tale – his photographic talents were first put to use in RAF reconnaissance in the Second World War.
The exhibition is part of The Public’s Art of Noise programme – a series of shows all tied together with the common thread of music.
Ian Danby, Head of Arts Programmes at The Public, says: “On one floor we’ve commissioned other artists to make pieces in response to the idea that the exhibition is all about sound and how art uses sound – this part fits perfectly with that.
“Downstairs we’ve got some pictures by Steve Gerrard. As part of the Home of Metal exhibition, he’s taken pictures of fans going to various metal gigs, so there’s a nice contrast with the other things going on here. It’s all going to be an eclectic set of exhibitions set around artists involved in music.
“The Black Country is renowned for its bands and music, so we thought we should do something that responds broadly to music and this seemed perfect.”
* My Generation: Glory Years of British Rock runs at The Public in West Bromwich from October 21 until January 15. www.thepublic.com
