The Best of Terry O’Neill at The Little Black Gallery, London

The Best of Terry O’Neill at The Little Black Gallery, London

A selection of work from Terry O’Neill’s illustrious career in photography will be on display at The Little Black Gallery from 14 January until 1 March. As one of the most celebrated British photographers of the 20th century, with a career spanning six decades, O’Neill is famed for his iconic photos of actors, musicians and politicians.

The candid style of O’Neill’s photography emerged during an early job as a photographer with the British Overseas Airways Corporation. A chance photo of a man sleeping in Heathrow Airport turned out to be the then Home Secretary, Rab Butler, and O’Neill’s image was catapulted onto the front pages of national newspapers and into the limelight. Since then, O’Neill has captured the some of the biggest and brightest stars of his generation, with subjects including Jean Shrimpton, Nelson Mandela, Frank Sinatra and Audrey Hepburn. O’Neill is fascinated by the talent and fame of his models who ooze the glamour of the 1960s and 1970s.

The intimate nature of O’Neill’s images reflects the close bond with his subjects; the collection could almost read as a history of friendships and relationships. Close friends with the likes of Sinatra and once married to Faye Dunaway, O’Neill’s photographs tell a lifetime of personal stories. The exhibition focuses on some of O’Neill’s most famous and favourite images and includes such instantly recognisable works as David Bowie, Diamond Dogs and Dudley Moore and Peter Cook, LA.

O’Neill was awarded the Centenary Medal by The Royal Photographic Society in 2011 in recognition of his significant contribution to the art of photography.

The Best of Terry O’Neill, 14 January until 1 March, The Little Black Gallery, 13A Park Walk, London SW10 0AJ. www.thelittleblackgallery.com.

Image: Dudley Moore & Peter Cook, LA, 1979. Courtesy The Little Black Gallery