On BBC 4 last week there were two fantastic programmes on cockney photographer David Bailey. David Bailey is a cultural icon who has been at the cutting edge of contemporary art for 50 years. From Vogue magazine fashion photographer to filmmaker, painter and sculptor, these documentaries show how he befriended the stars, married his muses and still captures the spirit and elegance of his times with his refreshing simple approach. The first, We'll Take Manhatten is a drama about the love affair between Bailey and an unknown model Jean Shrimpton. They were sent to New York for a prestigious Vogue photo shoot and this drama tells the story of a wild love affair, terrible fights with their fashion editor - and how two young people with no such intention happened to change the world of fashion forever. The second: Four Beats to the Bar and No Cheating is a documentary on Bailey who shows no sign of slowing up in his 73rd year. In his London studio and country home in Devon, he continues to create one of the most varied collections of any modern artist. The documentary features interviews with art critic Martin Harrison, former wife Catherine Deneuve, current wife Catherine Dyer and close friend Jerry Hall. It is a portrait of a private man who bared the soul of the sixties and seventies with his photographs and films.
Watch them! They are both fabulous and shed a light into this creative individuals life.
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