Plans for Nigel

Nigel Henderson, Parallel of Art and Life
Victoria Walsh
Thames & Hudson, London, 2001 

Nigel Henderson was an interesting character that I'm keen to learn more about. Well known as part of the Independent Group with the Smithsons and Eduardo Paolozzi, he also worked with Richard Hamilton on several important exhibitions at the ICA.

Pictogram, 1949-51

As a solo artist he made use of his formative association with the Paris surrealists and pals like Roland Penrose, employing collage and photography to capture the anarchic energy of urban life and mass-produced visual culture around his East London home through children's street games and the often overlooked inspiration to be found in detritus and graffiti.

Collage, 1949

Chisenhale Road, 1951

Chisenhale Road, 1951

Chisenhale Road, 1951

Chisenhale Road, 1951

Chisenhale Road, 1951

Barber's Shop Window, c.1949-53

Distressed Door, c.1949-53

Alison Smithson on site of Hunstanton School, c.1953

Head of Man, 1956

Atlas, 1954

Floor Collage, 1956

From 'Lovely Linda' series, c.1977

In later years he moved to Thorpe-le-Soken in Essex and taught photography at Norwich School of Art. He remained equivocal about his talents and art in general. Perhaps that's the effect East Anglia has on people.

Deakin

John Deakin
Photographs
Vendome Press, New York, 1998

Portrait of John Deakin by Luke Kelly, 1970

A few weeks ago I visited an exhibition of the work of John Deakin at the Photographers Gallery in London. Deakin is well known as Francis Bacon's Soho drinking associate, verbal punchbag, and creator of photographs that served as sketch material for some of Bacon's strongest paintings. I have admired his work for many years and this was the first occasion I have had to see a selection of work exhibited. Not a big show but enough to stimulate and satisfy.

Prunella Scales, 1954

His work reproduces well, as the images here attest, but seeing the original prints up close one truly perceives the marvelous skill with which they were created, every pore of his subjects' skin exposed for scrutiny.

Kenneth Tynan, 1952

Dylan Thomas, 1950

The portrait and fashion work is only part of the story as he was also an undervalued recorder of street life, following in the tradition of French photography, in particular Brassai, whose images of Paris graffiti - 'The Language of the Wall' - proved an inspiration for Deakin.

Rome, 1950s

Paris, 1950s

Paris, 1950s

Paris, 1950s

His incomplete or neglected photobook 'London Walls' would have been a great addition to his portfolio, but alas no publishers were interested and so the project atrophied with Deakin's terminal alcoholism.