Notting Hill, Taylor Wessing & Hair by Sam Mcknight

By Hannah Brown
Jan 25, 2017
3 min read

So, I had just completed my project at uni and had a few days free. I allocated these days to research that will help me for my next project. I spent the next couple of days in London, ready to absorb everything I possibly could! I stayed with my best friend the couple of days I was over, who unfortunately, had uni on the day I went out to the Hair by Sam McKnight and the Taylor Wessing Exhibitions.

I started off by planning my day so I could fulfil all the things I wanted to do. I started off by visiting the beautiful Notting Hill where I could envy and adore the colourful, bold and lavish houses that surround the whole area. I walked down to Portobello road market and took in all what’s happening, stopping for a coffee to warm my hands up as I chose a ridiculously cold day to go out. As I was walking around, admiring the buildings I soon began to realise that each house, from the outside, had its own unique character with a Victorian, nostalgic feel. Amazing! Just walking around to get a sense of them is a great morning, I would highly recommend it.

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It made sense for me then to hop onto the tube to the National Portrait Gallery to check out the Taylor Wessing exhibition that my tutors recommended. I wasn’t really expecting much from this if I am honest, I had never really considered portraiture before as it wasn't a strong interest of mine. However, attending the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2016 exhibition, it really opened my mind to the whole world of contemporary portrait photography. The images all had a wonderfully emotive narrative and story behind them, some I connected with more than other but none-the-less, when leaving I felt a sense of satisfaction and much more fulfilled than I thought I would have felt entering the space. Unfortunately there was a no camera rule in the exhibition space so i was unable to capture any of the photographs. Everytime someone rustled in their bag - one of the gallery assistance would be on to them, so i didn't fancy taking my chances haha!

Hair by Sam McKnight

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From the National Portrait Gallery, I walked up the road to Somerset House to the much anticipated 'Hair' by Sam McKnight exhibition, curated by Shonagh Marshall and designed by sensitive scenographer Michael Howells. They show Sam's work in such a fantastic way, leading us through the way he works back stage with the models, catwalk shows, preparation for an editorial, the wigs he created for celebrities and the huge collection of over 100 British Vogue covers he has under his name! The Exhibition was really capturing, using multi-media makes a much more memorable experience, beautiful photographs by Patrick Demarchelier and Nick Knight were prominent through-out, who Sam greatly shows credit too. I took away from this exhibition much, much more than I could have ever hoped. The whole exhibition is an insight to the sheer enthusiasm, commitment and passion Sam shows through his work, making every relationship matter. By attending this exhibition I was able to appreciate the 40-years worth of work McKnight has given to this industry, leading the torch for others to be inspired by.

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