ISSUE 127
12 / NEWS
SMOOTH FINISH Shots of models and actresses in latex, a hallmark of Bob Carlos Clarke’s style, feature in the new book
Limited-edition book commemorates the life and work of the legendary fine art and commercial photographer Remembering Carlos Clarke 20 years on TRIBUTE
To mark the 20th anniversary of the death of influential
from 2002 to 2005, the period after the publication of his book Shooting Sex , his last exhibition series Love Dolls Never Die and previously unpublished work including some hand-tinted and hand drawn pictures. Clarke remains a hugely popular figure, and is known as a pioneer of dark and moody monochrome images that celebrate underground, alternative culture in the UK. From shooting famous portraits of Keith Richards, Rachel Weisz and Marco Pierre White to taking LP covers for bands like The Damned, he was a fine art shooter who was commercially successful, then and now. His prints and books continue to sell. He sadly took his own life aged just 55 in 2006. Terence Pepper, former curator of photographs at the National Portrait Gallery, described Clarke as ‘one of the great photographic image makers of the last few decades.’ Often referred to as Britain and Ireland’s answer to German-Australian photographer Helmut Newton, Clarke was born in Cork, Ireland and is best known for his carefully composed, highly constructed, often glamorous and provocative creative approach. His visual subjects – often women in rubber – sealed his reputation as a photographer of erotic black & white images. But his work also included
photographer Bob Carlos Clarke, his estate and The Little Black Gallery have launched a book called The Last Dolls that costs £70. The book has 60 pages, is limited to 300 printed copies and features images
SHARP SHOOTER Carlos Clarke’s work often had quite a dangerous edge to it
& Roll Hall of Fame Museum in the US, the National Media Museum for the National Photography Collection (UK), Crawford Art Gallery in Ireland and private collectors such as Elton John. Brandei Estes, senior curator of photographs at the National Portrait Gallery and former director, head of photographs at Sotheby’s, said: “When I first encountered the photographs of women by Bob Carlos Clarke, I was struck by a deep tension. The images were provocative and, sometimes, unsettling – but the women portrayed appeared powerful, composed and in full command of their agency. Yes, there are unmistakable elements of fetishism, but there is also an assertive, self-possessed femininity that resists objectification. These aren’t invitations to gaze, but rather declarations: ‘Look, but you cannot touch.’” According to his long-time agent Ghislain Pascal, Clarke selected models carefully, sparking deep collaborations. He was known for his professionalism – for respecting, compensating and communicating with his models. thelittleblackgallery.com
celebrity portraiture, photojournalism and advertising, often pushing at the boundaries of art and acceptability. He produced six books during his lifetime, all of which go for a premium now. A biography called Exposure: The Unusual Life and Violent Death of Bob Carlos Clarke written by Sunday Times bestselling author Simon Garfield was published by Ebury Press in 2009. Clarke’s works are highly collectible and have been variously acquired by the National Portrait Gallery, the Rock
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