Show stop number six! The Apex venue and gallery in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk afforded Visible Girls:Revisited its greatest public exposure of the tour so far.
A whopping 20,000 visitors passed through The Apex’s doors during the show’s Spring 2019 installation in this historic market town; even a local salsa class took to the floor in the gallery space, executing their croqueta complicada under the steely gaze of VG:R’s skins, mods, punks and Rastas.
Also unveiled for the first time at the Bury venue was new addition to the ‘Revisited’ portraits, Corinne and Jill, AKA: the Scandals’ nightclub New Romantics. The pair were delighted to join the ranks of ‘found’ girls, finally claiming their place in the exhibition and in photographic social history. You might recognise Corinne (pictured left) as the superchic lead vocalist of 80s’ pop band, Swing Out Sister!
Our thanks to The Apex crew and their fabulous, buzzing venue in the heart of a deeply welcoming town. And particularly special thanks to Mark Ellis and his team at the Jessops camera store in the local shopping centre. You were such enthusiastic and welcome local supporters!
“We were proud to host the Visible Girls Revisited exhibition at The Apex which was striking to look at and fascinatingto see the old and new images together. We know that the exhibition brought new visitors to the venue and generated a lot of interest and attention”
Mark Wright, Front of House Manager, The Apex
In perfect counterpoint to Visible Girls’ young women of the 1980’s, our stop in Bury St Eds brought our attention to the work of brilliant local photographic talent, 18 year old Barney Maguire.
Pellucid Youth, is his photographic project capturing the power, potency, vulnerability and complexity of today’s male youth, aged from their late teens to early twenties. ‘Expressing individuality is so important to combat the pressures on young men today,’ says Barney. ‘Even in the small town of Bury there is so much diversity to show. Pellucid Youth was my final college project but I want to produce a much bigger body of work from it.’
‘I went twice to see ‘Visible Girls:Revisited’ and I loved it. I actually referenced some of the images in my college project write up. My favourite shot? The two skins, Kath and Em I found myself going back to that image repeatedly. There are so many photographs out there of the men of that era, it was great to finally see the girls of that time represented.’ Undoubtedly, a rising star.
What might the Pellucid Youth boys look like 36 years from now? Watch this space…
Instagram: @barneymaguirephoto
‘Brilliant – no – wonderful, to see beautiful, characterful, charismatic women in their 50s who were once each playing wild child in their own way.’ - Frances
‘Great shots capture an era and source of style freedom sadly missing from the youth of 2019.’ - Robert S
‘I’ve recognised old family friends from my home town, Slough – Orchard Youth Club!’ - Ang
‘Brings back so many memories…of the 80s. Was great to show my girls.’ - Laura
‘Inspired’ - Kev
