Nick Knight (photographer)

Nick Knight OBE (born 1958) is a British fashion photographer, documentary photographer, and web publisher—as director of SHOWstudio.com.

Knight has won awards for his editorial work for Vogue, Dazed & Confused, i-D, The Face, W Magazine, Another Magazine, Arena Homme + and Visionaire, as well as for fashion and advertising projects such as the 2004 edition of the Pirelli Calendar.

Knight's work has been exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Saatchi Gallery, the Photographers' Gallery and Hayward Gallery. He has produced a few books of his work including the retrospectives Nicknight (1994) and Nick Knight (2009).

Life and career

His first book of photographs, 'Skinhead', was published in 1982, whilst a student at Bournemouth.^[2] He was then commissioned by i-D editor Terry Jones to create a series of 100 portraits for the magazine's fifth anniversary issue. As a result of those black-and-white portraits, his work caught the attention of art director Marc Ascoli, who commissioned Knight to shoot the 1986 catalogue of avant-garde Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto in collaboration with renowned graphic designer Peter Saville.^[2] Since this first foray into fashion photography, he has shot both editorial and advertising projects for clients including Alexander McQueen, Audi, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Jil Sander, Lancôme, Levi Strauss, Martine Sitbon, Mercedes-Benz, Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House, Swarovski and Yves Saint Laurent.^[2]

He has shot album covers for Björk, Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Boy George, David Bowie, Kylie Minogue, The Style Council, Lady Gaga, Paul Weller, Gwen Stefani, Cheryl Cole, Seal, ABC and Massive Attack.

Knight directed his first music video in 2001, for the song "Pagan Poetry" by pop singer Björk.^[3] In 2011 he directed the video for Lady Gaga's single "Born This Way".^[4] In 2013 he directed Kanye West's "Bound 2" video.

Launch of SHOWstudio.com

In November 2000, Knight launched SHOWstudio.com, an online fashion broadcasting company specialising in new, live fashion media^[2] with experimental interactive projects, films and live performances. It has broadcast live with collaborations from Björk, Boy George, Lady Gaga, Gisele Bündchen, Kate Moss and John Galliano to Leigh Bowery, Heston Blumenthal and Antony & the Johnsons.

Publications

• Skinhead. London; New York: Omnibus, 1982. ISBN 978-0711900523.
• Out of fashion: Photographs. London: Photographers' Gallery, 1989. ISBN 978-0907879220.
• Nicknight. Munich: Schirmer/Mosel, 1994. ISBN 9783888146619. Produced and directed by Marc Ascoli, Nick Knight and Peter Saville. Written by Satoko Nakahara.
• Flora. Text by Sandra Knapp, art direction by Peter Saville, design by Paul Barnes. Initiated in 1993 for his installation of 'Plant Power' at the Natural History Museum, London.
  • Munich: Schirmer/Mosel, 1997. ISBN 978-0948835193. Hardback.
  • Flora. Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2003. ISBN 978-0810929883. Paperback
• Nick Knight. With an introduction by Charlotte Cotton.
  • New York: Collins Design, 2009. ISBN 9780061714573.
  • Harper Design, 2015. ISBN 978-0061714573.

Awards

2010

• Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.^[5]

2006

• Moët et Chandon Fashion Tribute

2001

• 'Most Inspirational Photographer' & 'Most Admired Person in the Creative Industries' in the Ultimate League Table 2001, Creative Review
• Terence Donovan Award by the Royal Photographic Society for major achievement in the previous year by a British photographer in the field of commercial, advertising or editorial work

2000

• Gold Medal at New York Festival for 'Best Book for Car Literature' for CLCoupe work
• 'Photographer of the Year' at Pantene Pro V Awards

1999

• "Best Front Cover of the Year" for Dazed & Confused September 98 issue in the Total Publishing Magazine Design Awards
• D&AD Silver Award for Most Outstanding Music Poster for Massive Attack album "Mezzanine"
• Design Distinction award from International Design Magazine in USA for front cover of Visionaire 27 Movement
• 'Fashion Photography (series) of the Year 99' for 'Handicapped in Fashion' for the Lead Photographie.99 – LeadAwards.99, Germany
• Silver medal for 'CLCoupe print Advertisements' at the New York Festival

1998

• "The Power of Photography" award
• Honorary Master of Arts from Anglia Polytechnic University
• Honorary Fellowship from Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design

1997

• Royal Mail's "Stamp Innovation Award" for his photography of the Olympics Stamps 1996
• "The Advertising Women of the New York Award" for the Vogue fashion story "Modern Curves" June 97
• D&AD Award for 'Best Photographic Campaign' for Levi's Red Tab 'OriginalWearers Campaign'

1995

• Voted 'Most Influential fashion photographer in the World' by The Face magazine

1994

• 'Best Studio Photographer' award at the International Festival De La Photo De Mode

1993

• XYZ Design Award for best poster for the Natural History Museum – Plant Power

1992

• Voted by GQ magazine as one of Britain's best dressed men

1991, 92

• Awarded the Best Catalogue Award at the International Festival De La Photo De Mode for his two Jil Sander catalogues

1989

• Halina Award for best young British Fashion photographer and 'Gold Award USA Best Magazine Fashion Story' for Faith for Arena Magazine

1988

• 'Club Des Directors Artistique Award' for Best Luxury Goods Campaign for Christoffle Silverware and 'Expansion Magazine Awards – Most Successful Banking Campaign' for Barclays

1986

• 'Magazine Publishing Award' for the i-D Magazine Back to School Fashion Story

1985, 87

• Kodak UK Photographer of the Year Award

1985

• Awarded the Designers & Art Directors Award Best Book Cover for 'Skinhead'

Exhibitions

2009

• SHOWstudio, FASHION REVOLUTION – exhibition at Somerset House, London

2002

• ARCHEOLOGY OF ELEGANCE – Deichtorhallen Museum in Hamburg
• TALKING TO MYSELF – exhibition on Yohji Yamamoto at La Masion Européenne de la Photographie, Paris

2001

• CENTURY CITY – London – Tate Modern

2000

• CUT – exhibition by the hairdresser Barnabee at Musee de la Mode, Paris.
• CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PHOTO DISTRICT NEWS Exhibition in New York.
• IMPOSSIBLE IMAGE – To promote the book published by Phaidon Press, Exhibition in Japan
• LA BEAUTE – Exhibition for EN2000, Avignon
• FACING THE FUTURE' – Touring Exhibition to celebrate 20 years of The Face Magazine
• 'DAS FERNGLAS' – at the Deutsche Hygiene Museum, Dresden
• NADJA – Exhibition celebrating Nadja Auermann in Germany
• 'IMPERFECT BEAUTY' – at the Victoria & Albert Museum
• 'REVOLVER' – exhibition at the MTV Music Awards in Stockholm
• 'NURTURE AND DESIRE' – exhibition on Breast cancer at the Hayward Gallery

1999

• SILVER & SYRUP – Victoria & Albert Museum
• 'H20' at the KOBI MUSEUM, Japan

1998

• LOOK AT ME – FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY 1965 TO PRESENT; a travelling exhibition put together by the British Council
• powerhause::uk; an exhibition put together by the Dept Trade & Industry
• THE ORIENTAL CURIOSITY – 21st CENTURY CHINOISERIE – travelled to London, Paris, Hong Kong
• SHOREDITCH BIENNALE
• HANDY SHORTS – at the Lux Cinema
• THE FIRST 25, a retrospective exhibition of images from Visionaire magazine at Colette, Paris
• ADDRESSING THE CENTURY: 100 YEARS OF ART & FASHION; exhibition at the Hayward Gallery
• TABOO; an exhibition curated by Creative Review
• NO SEX PLEASE WE'RE BRITISH; exhibition in Japan, organised by Shiseido Co Ltd with Dazed & Confused
• YVES SAINT LAURENT – 40 YEARS OF CREATION; exhibition in New York and Tokyo

1997

• CONTEMPORARY FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY – The Victoria & Albert Museum – the V&A have also bought pieces of Nick's work for their Photographic Print Collection
• JAM – exhibition at the Barbican Arts Centre, London
• LITTLE BOXES – a travelling exhibition curated by Michael Mack, in conjunction with the launch of his book 'Surface – Contemporary Photographic Practice'

1996

• Biennale di Firenze – ART/FASHION; a collaboration with Alexander McQueen

1994

• A POSITIVE VIEW, Saatchi Gallery

1993

• VANITIES exhibition in Paris
• 'Plant Power'; exhibition at the Natural History Museum, London. Permanent installation.

1992

• Festival De La Photo De Mode Exhibition in Monaco

1991

• Festival De La Photo De Mode Exhibition in Barcelona

1989

• OUT OF FASHION at the Photographers Gallery
• Ils Annoncent La Colour at the "Les Rencontres D'Arles" Group Exhibition – Holly Soloman Gallery New York

1986

• 20 FOR TODAY at the National Portrait Gallery and 14–21 Youth Culture Exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum

1982

• Group Exhibition 1982 at the Photographers Gallery

References

See also

• Fashion on the Internet
• Big 4 (statue)

External links

• SHOWstudio
• Nick Knight
• "Exploring Photography : Photographers : Nick Knight". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 8 June 2007.