21 September 2002 - May 2003
Balcony Gallery
Admission Free

Six newly-acquired prints by David Bailey are the focus for this display inspired by Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 cult classic film Blow Up which starred David Hemmings as a photographer in "Swinging Sixties" London.

Bailey's iconic portraits of Michael Caine, Mick Jagger, Jean Shrimpton, Jane Birkin, Kenneth Tynan and Robert Fraser with Jann Haworth are shown alongside twenty other works by leading photographers, focusing on the icons of sixties film, fashion and pop music.

Several of the stars of Blow-Up are featured in the display including Jane Birkin, David Hemmings and Sarah Miles. Fashion models Jill Kennington and Melanie Hampshire are also included, photographed by Norman Parkinson.

A remarkable "lost" portrait of four Beatles wives and girlfriends by the late Ronald Traeger is displayed alongside four works by Robert Whitaker including studies of John, Julian and Cynthia Lennon, Brian Epstein and the notorious Beatles Butchers album cover.

Four studies from John D Green's best-selling 1967 book Birds of Britain include portraits of Jane Asher, Dusty Springfield and Julie Christie.

Documentary
A BBC documentary The Real Blow Up: Fashion, Fame and Photography in the 60s will be shown on BBC 2 on Saturday 10 August. The programme will also be screened in the Gallery's Lecture Theatre in February 2003. For further information about the programme please contact Kate Morley, BBC Arts Publicity Tel 020 8752 7514 Email kate.morley@bbc.co.uk or visit www.bbc.co.uk/arts

National Portrait Gallery opening hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday: 10am - 6pm
Late Opening: Thursday, Friday: 10am - 9pm
Recorded information: 020 7312 2463
General information: 020 7306 0055
Website: www.npg.org.uk

For further press information please contact:
Hazel Sutherland, Press Office, National Portrait Gallery
Tel 020 7312 2452 Fax 020 7306 0058 email hsutherland@npg.org.uk