Eric Swayne: The Swinging ‘60s

Elliott Gallery is honoured to publish Eric Swayne’s talented and attentive eye in a new format that intimately draws one in. This allows one to contemplate the revolution that established many of the cultural hallmarks of our time with its legendary fashion, music, love, and of course, photography.

New Available Paper Size

Previously only available in the much larger 20 x 24” (50.8 × 61cm) paper size, this release features a selection of carefully curated limited edition photographs from Swayne that will be printed and available for purchase in a 12 x 16” (30.5 x 40.6cm) paper size. This new edition size emphasises the intimacy present in many of Swayne’s photographs. As a chronicler of his time, Swayne presents an opportunity to look behind the scenes at the historic counter-cultural movement in London in the 1960s. He documented the emerging young creative crowd that was establishing the new cultural vanguard; many were his friends and contemporaries. These photographs provide a closer look at the then ‘legends-to-be’ such as Jane Birkin, Catherine Deneuve, David Bailey, Grace Coddington, Keith Richards, Pattie Boyd, and Mick Jagger.

“This has been a journey of rediscovery - not only of the Sixties and my father’s role in that time, but also of the specific skill and technique of 35mm analogue photography. In this digital age, it has real resonance, and it's thrilling to introduce these images to the world now.”

- Tom Swayne, writing for British Vogue

Shortly before his death, Eric Swayne discarded most of his work, selecting to keep only those that he felt best reflected his artistic talent and intentions. Today, these gems are seeing the light due to the work of his son, Tom. After the sudden passing of his father in 2007, Tom discovered this primary box of negatives, and with them began exploring the world of the Swinging ‘60s through his father's young eyes.

The Swinging ‘60s

The Swinging ’60s was an innovative, daring time, as modernity ushered into England and the traditional and rigid styles and sentiments of the 1950s were cast aside. At this moment, the youth discarded the norms of generations past, to reform their surroundings, creating an atmosphere where creativity thrived.

The post-war economic boom set in motion progressive movements against war and for sexual liberation. London was the creative epicentre to which stylists, models, actors, musicians, and photographers flocked. From here, modernity took centre stage as British culture was exported globally in the form of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Twiggy, mod subculture, and miniskirts.

Reflecting this new attitude, photography received a revamping. Gone were the stuffy repetitive catalogue shoots of aristocratic hobby photographers. A new wave of artists hailing from working-class backgrounds took the medium and refined it by taking the camera and the studio setting to new heights.

Swayne took up photography on the encouragement of his new friends and already notorious photographers, David Bailey and Brian Duffy, who along with Terence Donovan were dubbed ‘the Black Trinity’, by fashion photography legend Norman Parkinson. Friendship sparked naturally, no doubt encouraged by the similar working-class background shared between them. In this inspired climate, Swayne’s work embraced a reportage-like style that honoured the spirit of his crowd of friends. Swayne was able to intimately document the zeitgeist of the Swinging ‘60s. The sense of change and creative current has been captured forever by his keen eye.

Swayne’s access to the everyday happenings and hangouts of his friends builds to a candidness only he could shoot.

In one instance, he joined fellow photographer David Bailey and Catherine Deneuve on holiday as the two walk along a river bank chatting and embracing, documenting a tender moment from the beginning of their relationship, with the two marrying that year.

In another, a photograph of Keith Richards donning a pair of sunglasses, we see the affinity of their friendship in the narrative build-up of the quick shots captured and presented in the format of their original contact sheet. As the shots unfold, their banter animates Keith Richards's features, his straight-lipped look erupting into laughter.

In addition to this new format, Elliott Gallery is excited to announce a rare opportunity as there is now a single signed print available. This rare vintage piece is a snapshot of two great icons of the Swinging ‘60s era, Mary Quant and Grace Coddington, and was taken by Swayne in 1965. Please contact us for more information about this particular piece.

All photographs by Eric Swayne are available to purchase in two sizes as follows:

12 x 16” (30.5 × 40.6cm): € 550.00
20 x 24” (50.8 × 61cm): € 1,600.00