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YBA Photographer Captures Art World's Wild Side
27 Apr
Summary
- Photographer Johnnie Shand Kydd documented the YBA art scene in the 1990s.
- His new book 'Ramsholt' features personal photographs of nature.
- Shand Kydd previously photographed Donald and Melania Trump.
Johnnie Shand Kydd, a photographer known for his intimate and unvarnished portraits of the Young British Artists (YBAs) in the 1990s, has released a new body of work titled 'Ramsholt.' Initially an art dealer, Shand Kydd captured the chaotic and creative energy of artists like Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, documenting their parties and intense conversations, which he viewed as an extension of their studio work.
His current exhibition and accompanying photobook, 'Ramsholt,' named after a Suffolk village, presents a stark contrast. These images are deeply personal, focusing on the unvarnished beauty and cycles of nature, often featuring bleak landscapes and the interplay of life and death. Shand Kydd describes these natural scenes as reminiscent of 'crime scenes' and a reflection of natural reincarnation.
Shand Kydd's career has been marked by serendipitous encounters. He notably photographed Donald and Melania Trump at a UN gathering years before his presidency. He also recalls the intense creative atmosphere surrounding artists like Damien Hirst in Gloucestershire, emphasizing the optimism and 'anything is possible' ethos of the YBA period.
