Exhibition: ‘Story Teller’ Tim Walker at Somerset House

This afternoon I visited the Tim Walker exhibition at Somerset House as part of my NY resolution to get out more and do things with friends.

Tim Walker is a fashion photographer whose work has graced the covers of fashion magazines around the world. His new exhibition Story Teller shows a selection of his work from over the last five years.

Walker’s work is fantastical and beautiful. Reality is skewed; many of the images have the atmosphere of dark fairy tales (I was reminded of Angela Carter’s novels or 1960s B movies). A giant doll chases a model through the forest, an oversized bumble bee plays the cello, a model dressed as a mechanical doll with a key in her back works with her four hands at a desk. Walker sets all his shots up in real life, not for him the world of computer manipulation, so the props are part of the exhibition too.

There are lots of recognisable faces: Helena Bonham Carter is (surprise, surprise) a mad queen, Grace Coddington is pictured with her famous red hair brushed over her face, Kate Moss reclines sans make-up on a chaise lounge. In another room a slightly lighter humour shines though photos of Monty Python cast dressed in bowler hats, enveloped in smoke and with exploding cigars.

There’s no photography allowed in the exhibition but there are lots of sites online with more photos, see Telegraph online and Wallpaper.

It took about an hour to see the exhibition and afterwards we had Earl Gray and Garam Assam Chi tea in Fernandez and Wells, also in Somerset House.

The exhibition is being held at Somerset House in association with Mulberry until 27 January, 10am-6pm. Story Teller Spotlight Tours are held on Thursdays at 1.15pm and best of all is free!

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