Fergus Greer: Directors

Past display archive
2 July - 21 October 2001

Bookshop Gallery

Free

Twenty-five photographs by Fergus Greer from his forthcoming book Directors, featuring prominent contemporary and legendary film makers of the past 60 years. Subjects include Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee, Oliver Stone and Mike Leigh.

Quentin Tarantino, Mulholland Drive, Hollywood March 2001 - © Fergus Greer

Quentin Tarantino, Mulholland Drive, Hollywood, March 2001
© Fergus Greer

Spike Lee, Brooklyn, NY February 1999 - © Fergus Greer

Spike Lee, Brooklyn, NY, February 1999
© Fergus Greer


Exhibition introduction panel

Fergus Greer was born in England, brought up in Eire and now lives in California. He studied at Saint Martins School of Art and then at The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. After leaving the army he became a general photographic assistant and eventually became Terence Donovan’s full-time assistant and studio manager before embarking on his own career as a leading international photographer. Based in London for the following six years Greer spent four of these on contract to the Sunday Times magazine as well as contributing to other quality titles.

Since 1996 Greer has been primarily based in Los Angeles travelling widely to undertake editorial and advertising work as well as special projects. Documenting the war in Kosovo as an officially accredited war artist, a book of his photographs was published in June 2001. Later this year his photographs of the late Leigh Bowery are to be shown at the Anthony d’Offay Gallery, which will coincide with a book of his work on the same subject.

The National Portrait Gallery is delighted to preview this selection of 25 film-makers from another of Greer’s projects that will eventually result in a comprehensive anthology of 160 film-makers documenting the past 60 years of film history. The photographs have all been taken on specified locations relevant to the subjects. The Directors included range from the classic to contemporary talent of today.

Mike Leigh
by Fergus Greer
June 1998
NPG x125075

Anthony Minghella
by Fergus Greer
December 1998
NPG x125074

Jack Cardiff
by Fergus Greer
January 1999
NPG x125073


List of photographs exhibited

  1. Pedro Almódovar b.1951, Central Park, Manhattan, New York, February 1998
  2. Paul Thomas Anderson b. 1970, Culver City, California, June 1998
  3. Bernardo Bertolucci b.1940, Sitter’s apartment, Rome, February 1998
  4. Jack Cardiff b.1914, Sitter’s home, Saffron Walden, January 1999 X125073
  5. John Carpenter b.1948, Sitter’s home in the Hollywood Hills, California, June 1998
  6. Claude Chabrol b.1930, La Place de Vosges, Paris, January 1999
  7. Jan De Bont b.1943, Santa Monica, California, June 1998
  8. Brian De Palma b.1940, Shutters-On-The-Beach Hotel, Santa Monica, California, June 1998
  9. André De Toth b.1913, Studio City, California, September 1998
  10. Stanley Donen b.1924, Sitter’s apartment, Central Park, New York, March 1998
  11. Abel Ferrara b.1942, Lower East Side, Manhattan, New York, March 1998
  12. Terry Gilliam b.1940, Highgate Cemetery, London, January 1999
  13. Werner Herzog b.1942, Santa Monica beach, California, February 1998
  14. Neil Jordan b. 1950, Appalachian Mountains, near Knoxville, Tennessee, March 1998
  15. Neil Labute b.1963, Runyon Canyon, Lost Angeles, September 1999
  16. Spike Lee b.1957, Outside Spike Lee’s production company ’40 Acres and a Mule’, Brooklyn, New York, February 1999
  17. Mike Leigh b.1943, On the London Underground, June 1988 X125075
  18. Adrian Lyne b.1941, Sitter’s home, near Avignon, France, January 1999
  19. Anthony Minghella b.1954, Camden Lock, London, December 1998 X125074
  20. Roman Polanski b.1933, Ile St Louis, Paris, March 1998
  21. Oliver Stone b.1946, In Oliver Stone’s Production company offices, Santa Monica, California, July 1999
  22. Quentin Tarantino b.1963, Mullholland Drive, Hollywood Hills, California, March 2001
  23. Lars Von Trier b.1956, Lyngby, Denmark, January 1999
  24. John Waters b.1946, On the set of Pecker, Baltimore, Maryland, January 1998
  25. John Woo b.1946, The Sony Lot, Culver City, California, February 1997