Artist David Bailey is best known for his portraits of the trendsetting faces commonly seen in the pages of Vogue and, most recently, in Bailey’s Stardust at the National Portrait Gallery. However, Bailey’s work does not stop here. David Bailey’s commitment to the art of photography has taken him on photographic researches of everyday life and explorations of other cultures around the world.

Daniel Blau gallery will show the contrast to the artist’s iconic images in the upcoming exhibition Bailey: For Real. The gallery will present a collection of his photographs of the everyday, including captivating portraits of anonymous figures in Delhi and stark images of London’s East End. When displayed together in the exhibition these works constitute a relatively unexplored yet equally intriguing component of Bailey’s artistic oeuvre.

Bailey’s ability to capture the pure soul and beauty of everyday life and at the same time communicating a story though his photographs is what makes this exhibition stand out.

Akin to the prints in our Bailey: Uncharted exhibition at Paris Photo LA, Bailey has similarly taken his hand to these works, often tearing them and leaving behind a ragged and frayed edge. Bailey’s tearing emphasises the tactile nature of his photographs and renders each piece entirely unique.