John Hinde

January 22, 2011 10:00 AM

Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight: The John Hinde Butlin's Photographs "Long viewed only as a master of kitsch Hinde is now recognised, albeit posthumously, as a peerless social documentarian. Dazzling in their their colour intensity and strange clarity.... Visionary, Wonderful." Sean O'Hagan, The Observer, London "Extraordinary...the combination of aesthetics and promotion produced something that bypasses documentary and approaches an arresting British surrealism". David Jays, Financial Times "These phenomenal photographs...a cacophony of colour...Despite and because of their artifice, John Hinde's picture postcards are endlessly fascinating, exposing social trends, sartorial aberrations and a particular photographic vision. A delightful book". The Art Book. Large collection of his other work at the John Hinde Collection
posted by puny human (6 comments total)

Oh, someone gave this book to me as a gift many years ago. One of the few art books I've had around the house that I never get tired of.

In the book they talk a lot about the strength of light required to penetrate those dusky, cigarette-smoke filled interiors, and how hard it was to get everyone to hold perfectly still for long enough to get the right exposure.
posted by hermitosis at 10:34 AM on January 22, 2011

I was just reading in Irish Times today about the reissuing of hisIrish postcards.
Slightly put out by the trademarking of the term Beautiful Ireland, but that's another issue :)
posted by Fence at 11:01 AM on January 22, 2011

I miss the era of pre-ironic art.
posted by Nelson at 11:22 AM on January 22, 2011

Thanks for this. I'd forgotten about Hinde- Suddenly the long, grey, rain-sodden days in the Ireland of my youth have come flooding back...
posted by marvin at 1:08 PM on January 22, 2011

I really like these. Thanks.
posted by duvatney at 4:17 PM on January 22, 2011

I really like these too - this set of pictures is like Blackpool (my home town) dreaming about itself.
posted by calico at 8:44 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]