A HARD MAN IS GOOD TO FIND!

The Photographers’ Gallery,  London

3 March - 11 June 2023

A Hard Man is Good to Find! celebrates a clandestine visual culture of men’s bodies during a time when making and distributing such images was a criminal offence. This exhibition highlights key areas of London which were a focus for men seeking out men to photograph. It maps out a territory of risk and possibility across Highgate, between Chelsea and Wellington Barracks, in Soho, Brixton, Portobello and Euston. Catalogues, print ordering sheets, personal albums, magazines and publications explore how these photographs were circulated, exchanged and shared. The exhibition included works by John S Barrington, Cecil Beaton, Guy Burch, Basil Clavering (trading as Royale), Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Bill Green (trading as Vince), David Gwinnutt, Paul Hawker, Angus McBean and Ajamu X.