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‘Don McCullin: Conflict – People – Landscape’ at Hauser & Wirth Somerset

Don McCullin - Dew Pond, Somerset, 1988

Don McCullin
Dew Pond, Somerset, 1988
Gelatin Silver Print
Dimensions variable
© Don McCullin / Contact Press Images

Don McCullin at Hauser & Wirth Somerset ‘Don McCullin: Conflict – People – Landscape’: Hauser & Wirth Somerset unveils an intimate retrospective by Britain’s most celebrated photojournalist, Don McCullin. 15 Nov 2015 – 31 Jan 2016.]]>

Source: Hauser & Wirth Somerset

The focused exhibition will present a culmination of work spanning the photographer’s career to date; from early beginnings in North London to extensive social documentary, unsparing war reportage, haunting Somerset vistas and contemplative still lifes. The retrospective will map over five decades of visual history, bringing together a broad selection of McCullin’s most powerful and unforgettable images, alongside a series of compositions of the Somerset landscape he calls home. In addition to his photographic oeuvre McCullin presents a collection of personal memorabilia acquired throughout his lifetime, featuring the Nikon camera that notoriously saved his life from a sniper bullet during the Vietnam war.

The comprehensive showcase presents a chronological selection of the photographer’s most poignant and best known reportage. The exhibition commences with a selection of the photojournalist’s early professional photography, featuring his first published image in The Observer dating back to 15 February 1959. ‘The Guvnors’ was taken in Finsbury Park and marked the start of McCullin’s passionate documentation of London gang culture and impoverished urban Britain throughout the sixties and seventies. His work during this time created a harsh spotlight on the reality of life post-war, including the stark landscapes of the industrial North, the increasing unemployment and homeless levels in the capital and growing unrest across the country.

About the Artist
Don McCullin is one of the most important war photographers of the late twentieth century, best known for his broad war reportage and critical social documentation. Between 1966 and 1984, he worked for The Sunday Times Magazine under Editor-in-Chief Harold Evans and Art Editor David King, it was during this time he released his most celebrated images. He has since expanded his oeuvre with independent trips to India, Africa and the Middle East, continuing to raise awareness of global humanatarian issues and war-torn areas with unflinching honesty.

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'Don McCullin: Conflict – People – Landscape' at Hauser & Wirth Somerset