Faces Of Our Time On-home




Eartha Kitt   William Eggleston   Joan Didion   Samantha Power   Mark Rylance   Norman Mailer  
Earthakittlondon1988_400   William_eggleston_ne129a41   Joandidionnewyork_400   Samantha_powernyc_2008   Mark_rylance_nyc_2008   Normanmailernewyo_400  
 
Peter Smithson   Richard Serra   Kristen Scott-Thomas   Yehudi Menhuin   Arthur Scargill   Robert Doisneau  
Peter_smithson_london_1998   Richardserranewyo_400   Kristen-scott-thomas   Yehudi-menhuin   Arthur-scargill   Robert-doisneau  
 
Serge Brammert   Mark Anthony Turnage   Michael J Fox   Desmond Morris   Peter Maxwell-Davis   Nancy Pelosi  
Serge_brammertz_2_nyc_2007   Mark-anthony-turnage   Michael_j_fox_actor   Desmond-morris-london-2000   Peter-maxwell-davis   Nancy-pelosi,-washin  
 
Dr. Henry Kissinger   Dr. Christiaan Barnard   Tom Jones   Alan Bennett   Amiri Baraka   Amos Oz  
Dr-henry-kissinger   Dr-christiaan-barnard   Tom-jones   Alanbennettlondon1985_400   Amiribarakanewyork_400   Amosoznewyorkcity2004_400  
 
Anne Huggett   Arthur Miller   Bobby Seale   Doris Lessing   Ian Bostridge   Iris Murdoch  
Annehuggett_400   Arthurmillerparis2003_400   Bobbysealenewyork_400   Dorislessinglondon1998_400   Ianbostridgenewyork_400   Irismurdochoxford1990_400  
 
Kathy Acker   Kiki Smith   Laurie Anderson   Martin Amis   Oliver Sachs   Philip Glass  
Kathyackernewyork_400   Kikismithnewyork2000_400   Laurieandersonnewyork_400   Martinamislondon1995_400   Oliversachslondon1993_400   Phillipglassnewyo_400  
 
President Chavez   Quentin Crisp   Rem Koolhaas   Ronald Lauder   Seamus Heaney   Studs Terkel  
Presidentchaveznew_400   Quentin-crispnewyork_400   Remkoolhaaslisbon2005_400   Ronaldlaudernewyo_400   Seamusheaneylondon1994_400   Studsterkelchicago1998_400  
 
William Eggleston   Dalai Lama   Howard Marks   Peter Cook   Bill Gates   Robert Frank  
Williamegglestonnew_400   Dalai-lama   Howard-marks   Peter-cook   Bill-gates   Robert_frank_new_york  
 
Damien Hirst   Zinedine Zidane   Eddie Izzard   Sophia Loren  
Damien_hirst   Zinedine-zidane   Eddie-izzard   Sophia-loren  
 


"For some people a photograph is an affirmation of existence. For others it questions existence. On a most fundamental level one may question a likeness. ‘How is that me? ... It does not look like me ... but it is there in front of me." Steve Pyke’s best-known portrait work has sought to provide a conspectus of the "faces of our time", to record those who have made a contribution to the history of the age. Although many of those photographed would admit (some with reluctance, others with delight) to the appellation "celebrity", Pyke’s approach makes no concession to such a meretricious notion. They are recorded with exactly the same care as that devoted to those whose names will never figure in the tabloids or Who’s Who, the unremembered, ordinary folk who survived wars, scratched livings from the street, or put on their uniforms with pride so that they could be immortalised on the film wound through an old Rolleiflex. Conceived with a few nods in the direction of major figures in the history of art and photography such as Van Dyke, Dürer, August Sander and Irving Penn, Pyke’s portraits derive their coherence from the fact that they form part of a great task of classification. The only way out of the conundrum — so many faces, so little time — is to construct a big grid where each portrait can find its natural slot. So Pyke has his collections — philosophers, veterans, film directors, writers, prisoners, itinerants, and so on. They are ways of making sense of a vast enterprise: "faces of our time". © Peter Hamilton



© Steve Pyke