wedge presented
dennis morris : growing up black
as a part of CONTACT 04,
toronto's annual photography festival.

In a career spanning more than twenty years, Dennis Morris has photographed many leading musicians of our time. He was born in Jamaica, but moved with his mother to England at age 5. He picked up a camera when he was a choirboy in church, and soon joined its photography club. At only 12 years of age, he got his first picture published in the London Daily Mirror; and by 15, he captured some of the most remarkable portraits ever taken of Bob Marley. Soon after, he got caught up in the punk maelstrom, eventually becoming the official photographer of the Sex Pistols. He fronted bands in the 1970’s, and even had a stint as art director for Jamaican label Island Records, before returning to the photography that was his first love.

Over the years, Dennis Morris has documented various communities of inner city London, exposing them to an international audience. But Growing Up Black, his series of photos mostly from his childhood neighborhood in East London, is special: It is a unique and personal collection. This body of work is comprehensive in the details of the community it captures – at home, church, on the street, and in the dance hall.

may 2 - 29, 2004

further information :

dennismorris.com : artist's web site
dennis morris lecture : for wedge (RealAudio)

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