In what could be considered a rather controversial move by a leading photography institution, the Photographers Gallery are exhibiting ‘When You’re a Boy’:
a mini retrospective of men’s stylist extraordinaire and cultural aesthetics commentator Simon Foxton’s work (UK, b.1961).

A pioneer and leading light of men’s fashion, Foxton is impossible to pigeon hole. Besides his more obvious love of fashion and defiance to anything fashionable, he appears to have a great interest in Britain’s diverse cultural landscape.

The exhibition showcases work from his long time collaborators Nick Knight, Alasdair McLellan as well as contributions by John Balsom, Donald Christie, Ben Dunbar-Brunton, Jason Evans, David Hughes, Benjamin Alexander-Huseby, Giles Price, Stefan Ruiz, David Sims and Simon Thiselton.

The role of stylists, and in particular those who work with men’s fashion, is one which has remained largely un recognized, at least by the large majority of people who are not active in the fashion industry. They are the script writers to the fashion photographer and are instrumental in defining the direction of a photograph.

It is this role of underdog which seems to suit Foxton best, leaving him considerable space to experiment with and investigate in the broad realm of man’s most basic and direct form of non verbal communication.

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue edited by Penny Martin at the bargain basement price of 8 gbp.

The exhibition runs until the 4th of October at the Photographer’s Gallery.

Photographer’s Gallery
16-18 Ramillies Street
W1F 7LW London

Related Pops:

• POP 040/ Friday, 10 July 2009

Remember: to divide the world merely into rice eaters and wheat eaters is a simplification.

Other Simon Secrets. A Pop 5:

1. He collects white ceramic toast racks.

2. His mother was a celebrated hotelier.

3. He takes stimulants and then takes walks, often next to rivers while listening to Eno on headphones.

4. He has a drawer in his outdoor office full of tiny, precious light bulbs.

5. His fetish? Green leather shoes, Sir.

Related Pops:

• POP 048/ Saturday, 18 July 2009