A retrospective exhibition shines a light on the impactful work of Terence Donovan, who captured the essence of 1960s London and its iconic personalities.
Photo: Terence Donovan, Twiggy, 1966
Terence Donovan, born in East London in 1936, made a significant mark on the world of photography with his Pentax 6×7 camera. During the Swinging London era of the 1960s, he captured iconic images of some of the city’s most renowned personalities. Transitioning into the 1970s, Donovan expanded his talents into film production while continuing to take assignments for prestigious magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar using his trusty Pentax.
Donovan’s portraits are particularly celebrated, featuring everyone from Maggie Smith through Jimi Hendrix and Princess Diana to designer John Galliano. His approach to photography was unpretentious, viewing it primarily as work rather than an artistic pursuit. As Sally Vincent noted in The Guardian in 2000, “Donovan’s value system was founded, like Thatcher’s, on the Protestant work ethic, which is all the more potent for being tacit. Work hard, and you get rewarded; idle, and you don’t.”
In 1996, Donovan, struggling with depression, tragically ended his own life. His extensive library of images, including thousands of television advertisements, continues to captivate and inspire. This remarkable body of work is now being highlighted in a retrospective exhibition, shedding light on the enduring legacy of Terence Donovan’s photography.
Terence Donovan is at Atlas Gallery, London W1, until 14th September, atlasgallery.com
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