Johnnie Shand Kydd

Iconic, black and white photographs of international art world figures at play

This is a past exhibition which ran from 14 February 2015 to 1 February 2016.

As an emerging photographer, Shand Kydd became known for capturing the incipient community of YBAs (Young British Artists) during the 1990s. He created hundreds of now iconic black and white images of his artist friends and has continued to track the progress of figures such as Sarah Lucas, Tracey Emin, Gilbert and George and Damien Hirst.

This selection of works from Shand Kydd’s extensive and varied portfolio focuses on his yearly trips to the Greek island of Hydra at the invitation of the art collector and Whitworth patron, Pauline Karpidas. With an informal, convivial and occasionally poignant eye, Shand Kydd captures the annual summer confluence of invited members of the international art world, a coming together of rising talent, established luminaries, partners and family members.

Shand Kydd’s photographs are displayed in the promenade gallery, a space created to allow visitors to move around the new building and which provides views into the park across the newly created art garden.