Roger Perry (photographer)
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Roger Perry (1944–1991) was a British photographer, best known for his work at '' Time Out,'' as well as ''
The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...
'' and ''
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper. In 1993 it was acquired by Guardian Media Group Limited, and operated as a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' ...
'' colour magazines. His 1976 book of London graffiti photography ''The Writing on The Wall'' was one of the first extensive surveys of the city's burgeoning 'scene'.


Life and work

Perry studied at Harrow School of Art after deciding to become a professional photographer. Around this time he became friends with Tony Elliott who was studying at
Keele University Keele University is a Public university#United Kingdom, public research university in Keele, approximately from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as the University College of North Staffordshire, it was granted uni ...
, editing a student magazine that Perry contributed to. When Elliott went on to found '' Time Out,'' he employed Perry as house photographer. Working alongside designer Pearce Marchbank, Perry created hundreds of iconic covers for the London listings magazine. One cover that Perry photographed, working with Marchbank, came third in the
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Cover of the Century award. It depicted
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
's trademark
V sign The ''V'' sign is a hand gesture in which the index and middle fingers are raised and parted to make a ''V'' shape while the other fingers are clenched. It has various meanings, depending on the circumstances and how it is presented. When dis ...
, with Marchbank's studio cleaner acting as 'hand-double' for the shoot. In the 1980s Perry began working as a
photojournalist Photojournalism is journalism that uses images to tell a news story. It usually only refers to still images, but can also refer to video used in broadcast journalism. Photojournalism is distinguished from other close branches of photography (suc ...
, particularly for the colour supplements of the Sunday newspapers such as ''
The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...
,'' where he regularly worked on the "Life in the Day" feature. Due to severe rheumatoid arthritis, Perry retired to Suffolk where he began trading and restoring classic
Lancia Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. () is an Italian car manufacturer and a subsidiary of Stellantis Europe, which is the European subsidiary of Stellantis. The present legal entity of Lancia was formed in January 2007 when its corporate parent reorganise ...
cars. He used a
Lancia Stratos The Lancia Stratos HF (''Tipo 829''), known as Lancia Stratos, is a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, rear mid-engined sports car designed for rallying, made by Italian car manufacturer Lancia. It was highly successful in competition, win ...
as an everyday runaround car. He died in Cambridge in 1991, with large obituaries published in many of the publications he used to contribute to, with
Ian Jack Ian Grant Jack FRSL (7 February 1945 – 28 October 2022) was a British reporter, writer and editor. He edited the ''Independent on Sunday'', the literary magazine ''Granta'' and wrote regularly for ''The Guardian''. Early life Jack was born ...
writing an extensive one for ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
''.


Legacy

In 2014 Perry's graffiti book ''The Writing on The Wall'' was republished after a
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campaign was started by George Stewart-Lockhart. The new edition is expanded to include more photographs, with an extensive new foreword, as well as a short essay by
Bill Drummond William Ernest Drummond (born 29 April 1953) is a Scottish artist, musician, writer, and record producer. He was a co-founder of the late-1980s avant-garde pop group the KLF and its 1990s media-manipulating successor, the K Foundation, with wh ...
. The original introduction by
George Melly Alan George Heywood Melly (17 August 1926 – 5 July 2007) was an English jazz and blues singer, critic, writer, and lecturer. From 1965 to 1973, he was a film and television critic for ''The Observer''; he also lectured on art history, with an ...
was also included, as well as numerous recollections about Perry from friends and colleagues such as Tony Elliott,
Neil Lyndon Neil Alexander Lyndon (born Neil Alexander Barnacle; 12 September 1946) is a British journalist and writer. He has written for ''The Sunday Times'', ''The Times'', ''The Independent'', the ''Evening Standard'' the ''Daily Mail'' and the ''Tele ...
and
Simon Park The Simon Park Orchestra is a group best remembered for performing "Eye Level", the theme tune for the television series '' Van der Valk'' composed by Jan Stoeckart, which spent four weeks at the number one position in the UK Singles Chart in Sep ...
, amongst others. Writing in ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' on the subject of ''The Writing On The Wall'',
Alexis Petridis Alexis Petridis (born 13 September 1971) is an English journalist. He is the head Rock music, rock and pop music critic for ''The Guardian'', and a regular contributor for ''GQ''. In addition to his music journalism for the paper, he has written ...
wrote that "Perry’s photos offer a vivid snapshot of British culture in the mid-70s, between the final curdling of the hippy counterculture and the arrival of punk".


Publications

* ''The Writing on The Wall''. London: Elm Tree, 1976. . With an introduction by
George Melly Alan George Heywood Melly (17 August 1926 – 5 July 2007) was an English jazz and blues singer, critic, writer, and lecturer. From 1965 to 1973, he was a film and television critic for ''The Observer''; he also lectured on art history, with an ...
. * ''The Writing on The Wall (Expanded Edition)''. London: Plain Crisp, 2015. . With an introduction by Melly and a short essay by
Bill Drummond William Ernest Drummond (born 29 April 1953) is a Scottish artist, musician, writer, and record producer. He was a co-founder of the late-1980s avant-garde pop group the KLF and its 1990s media-manipulating successor, the K Foundation, with wh ...
.


Exhibitions

* ''Photography in the Theatre,''
Impressions Gallery Impressions Gallery is an independent contemporary photography gallery in Bradford, England. It was established in 1972 and located in York until moving to Bradford in 2007. Impressions Gallery also runs a photography bookshop, publishes its own ...
, York, 1973. With
Angus McBean Angus Rowland McBean (8 June 1904 – 9 June 1990) was a Welsh photographer, set designer and cult figure associated with surrealism. Early life Angus Rowland McBean was born in Newbridge, Monmouthshire, Wales on 8 June 1904, elder child and ...
,
Cecil Beaton Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton (14 January 1904 – 18 January 1980) was a British fashion, portrait and war photographer, diarist, painter, and interior designer, as well as costume designer and set designer for stage and screen. His accolades ...
and John Walmsley. * ''Graffiti,''
The Roundhouse The Roundhouse is a performing arts and concert venue at the Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England. The building was erected in 1846–1847 by the London & North Western Railway as a roundhouse, a circ ...
, London, 1978 * ''Punk: Photographs,'' Impressions Gallery, York, 1978


References


External links

*
Unfinished Histories biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perry, Roger 1944 births 1991 deaths Photographers from Cambridgeshire British portrait photographers Journalism academics Artists from London