Brian Griffin, Charlie and Fingers, 1978

'Professor Brian Griffin was born in Birmingham on the 13th April 1948 and lived in the Black Country until going to Manchester Polytechnic (1969 – 72) to study photography. Since 1972 has lived in London as a freelance photographer getting his first commission for Management Today in November 1972. Was first exhibited in the “Young British Photographers” touring exhibition 1975.

Received “Freedom of the City of Arles, France” in 1987. Published the book “Work” in 1988 with a one-man show at the National Portrait Gallery. Work went on to be awarded the Best Photography book in the World at the Barcelona Primavera Fotografica 1991. In 1989 the Guardian newspaper proclaimed him “The Photographer Of The Decade”. Also “Life” magazine used the photograph “A Broken Frame” on its front cover of a special supplement “The Greatest Photographs Of The 80’s”.

From 1991 until 2002 was a film director and lighting cameraman co-owning his own film production company “Produktion”.

In 2003 worked on Birmingham’s bid to become the European Capital City Of Culture followed by a retrospective at the Art Museum Reykjavik Iceland in 2005. Then produced a book and exhibition for the Royal opening of St. Pancras Station and High Speed 1 in 2007. In 2009 became the patron of the Format Festival of Photography and has remained the patron of this bi-annual festival.

For the London Olympics in 2009 launched the photography project “Road To 2012” at the National Portrait Gallery alongside Lord Coe and Dame Kelly Holmes. In 2010 had a major retrospective of his portraiture “Face to Face” in Birmingham UK.

Was then commissioned by the City of Marseille and exhibited at “Marseille Provence 2013 European Capital of Culture”, also for “Reference Works” the photography project to celebrate with a book and exhibition the building and opening of the New Birmingham Library in September 2013. This was followed later with a retrospective of his corporate photography in Bologna, Italy during October 2013, and being inducted into the Album Cover Hall Of Fame..

September 2013 he received the “Centenary Medal” from the Royal Photographic Society in recognition of a lifetime achievement in photography.

On March 3rd 2014, he received a Honorary Doctorate by Birmingham City University for his lifetime contribution to photography and the City of Birmingham.

In 2016 inducted into the Album Cover Hall Of Fame and in 2019 became an Associate Visiting Professor at the University Of The Highlands And Islands, Scotland.'

Item added to cart

1970 - 1980

Cookie preferences