COLIN JONES (1936-)

“The George Orwell of British photography.”
The Sunday Times

Acclaimed for his portraits of disappearing communities, Colin Jones’ images elicit truths which are often ignored or brushed aside. His creative life has followed an unusual path: from a working-class childhood in the East End of London to dancing in the English Royal Ballet. He bought his first camera on tour in Australia in 1958 whilst running an errand for Dame Margot Fonteyn. He soon took pictures for The Observer newspaper and is published in The Sunday Times Magazine, Life, and National Geographic amongst others. He has documented the vanishing industrial working lives of the North East (Grafters); the life of the Harambee housing project, Islington (The Black House); behind the scenes at the Royal Ballet; daily life in Communist Russia (published by Studio Vista 1964) and Great Rivers of the World. Jones’ work is held in collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and the Arts Council, as well as in private collections and he has had solo exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, Proud Gallery, and the
Photographers’ Gallery.

Publications include:
The Black House (Prestel, 2006)
Grafters (Phaidon, 2002)
Great Rivers of the World (Hodder & Stoughton, 1988) with Alexander Frater.

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