Tony Ray-Jones
Encyclopedia
Tony Ray-Jones was an English
photographer.
Born Holroyd Anthony Ray-Jones, he was the youngest son of Raymond Ray-Jones
(1886–1942), a painter
and etcher who died when his son was only eight months old, and Effie Irene Pearce, who would work as a physiotherapist. After his father's death, Tony's mother took the family to Tonbridge in Kent, to Little Baddow (near Chelmsford, Essex), and then to Hampstead in London. He was educated at Christ's Hospital
(Horsham), which he hated.
Tony Ray-Jones studied at the London School of Printing, where he concentrated on graphic design. In the early 1960s he obtained a scholarship that enabled him to join Yale University School of Art on the strength of photographs he had taken in north Africa from a taxi window. Although only 19 on his arrival at Yale, Ray-Jones' talent was obvious, and in 1963 he was given assignments for the magazines Car and Driver
and Saturday Evening Post.
Eager to use photography for more creative purposes, Ray-Jones went to the Design Lab held by the art director
Alexey Brodovitch
in the Manhattan studio of Richard Avedon
; Brodovitch's gruff manner and high standards won respect and hard work from Ray-Jones and others. Ray-Jones also got to know a number of New York "street photographers", in particular Joel Meyerowitz
, who influenced his later work.
Ray-Jones graduated from Yale in 1964 and photographed the United States energetically until his departure for Britain in late 1965. From then until 1970, he lived in Britain. On his arrival, he was shocked at the lack of interest in non-commercial photography, let alone in publication of book collections of it. He was also unsure of what subject he might pursue, but the idea of a survey of the English at leisure gradually took shape, and he was able to work on this and at the same time portrait and other work for the Radio Times
, Sunday newspapers, and magazines. Ray-Jones tried to extensively document the way of life of the English "before it became too Americanised". His photographs of festivals and leisure activities are full of a somewhat surreal humour
and show the influence of photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson
, Garry Winogrand
, Homer Sykes
and his own collection of the work of Sir Benjamin Stone
. Part of this work was published posthumously in his book A Day Off (1974).
Ray-Jones was both sociable and abrasive, introducing himself to Peter Turner, the editor of Creative Camera
, by saying "Your magazine's shit". But he impressed Turner (who later acknowledged Ray-Jones as one of the greatest influences on his view of photography), and also worked hard and successfully to have exhibitions of his works.
Tony Ray-Jones returned to the United States in January 1971 to work as a teacher at the San Francisco Art Institute
— one of the few ways in which he could legally stay in the US. He disliked teaching, finding the students self-centered and lazy, but he was soon able to busy himself working on assignments for both the British and the US press.
In late 1971, Ray-Jones started to suffer from exhaustion. Early the next year leukaemia was diagnosed, and he started to have chemotherapy. Medical treatment in the US was too expensive, so Ray-Jones flew to London on 10 March and immediately entered the Royal Marsden Hospital
; he died there on 13 March.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
photographer.
Born Holroyd Anthony Ray-Jones, he was the youngest son of Raymond Ray-Jones
Raymond Ray-Jones
Raymond Ray-Jones was an English painter and etcher.- Life and career :...
(1886–1942), a painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and etcher who died when his son was only eight months old, and Effie Irene Pearce, who would work as a physiotherapist. After his father's death, Tony's mother took the family to Tonbridge in Kent, to Little Baddow (near Chelmsford, Essex), and then to Hampstead in London. He was educated at Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
(Horsham), which he hated.
Tony Ray-Jones studied at the London School of Printing, where he concentrated on graphic design. In the early 1960s he obtained a scholarship that enabled him to join Yale University School of Art on the strength of photographs he had taken in north Africa from a taxi window. Although only 19 on his arrival at Yale, Ray-Jones' talent was obvious, and in 1963 he was given assignments for the magazines Car and Driver
Car and Driver
Car and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...
and Saturday Evening Post.
Eager to use photography for more creative purposes, Ray-Jones went to the Design Lab held by the art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
Alexey Brodovitch
Alexey Brodovitch
Alexey Brodovitch was a Russian-born photographer, designer and instructor who is most famous for his art direction of fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar from 1938 to 1958.- Early life in Russia :...
in the Manhattan studio of Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon was an American photographer. An obituary published in The New York Times said that "his fashion and portrait photographs helped define America's image of style, beauty and culture for the last half-century."-Photography career:Avedon was born in New York City to a Jewish Russian...
; Brodovitch's gruff manner and high standards won respect and hard work from Ray-Jones and others. Ray-Jones also got to know a number of New York "street photographers", in particular Joel Meyerowitz
Joel Meyerowitz
Joel Meyerowitz is a street photographer who began photographing in color in 1962 and was an early advocate of the use of color during a time when there was significant resistance to the idea of color photography as serious art...
, who influenced his later work.
Ray-Jones graduated from Yale in 1964 and photographed the United States energetically until his departure for Britain in late 1965. From then until 1970, he lived in Britain. On his arrival, he was shocked at the lack of interest in non-commercial photography, let alone in publication of book collections of it. He was also unsure of what subject he might pursue, but the idea of a survey of the English at leisure gradually took shape, and he was able to work on this and at the same time portrait and other work for the Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
, Sunday newspapers, and magazines. Ray-Jones tried to extensively document the way of life of the English "before it became too Americanised". His photographs of festivals and leisure activities are full of a somewhat surreal humour
Surreal humour
Surreal humour is a form of humour based on violations of causal reasoning with events and behaviours that are logically incongruent. Constructions of surreal humour involve bizarre juxtapositions, non-sequiturs, irrational situations, and/or expressions of nonsense.The humour arises from a...
and show the influence of photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography...
, Garry Winogrand
Garry Winogrand
Garry Winogrand was a street photographer known for his portrayal of America in the mid-20th century. John Szarkowski called him the central photographer of his generation....
, Homer Sykes
Homer Sykes
Homer Warwick Sykes is a Canadian-born British photographer whose career has included personal projects and landscape photography.-Life and career:...
and his own collection of the work of Sir Benjamin Stone
John Benjamin Stone
Sir John Benjamin Stone , known as Benjamin, was a British Conservative politician, and noted photographer.Stone was born in Aston, Birmingham the son of a local glass manufacturer...
. Part of this work was published posthumously in his book A Day Off (1974).
Ray-Jones was both sociable and abrasive, introducing himself to Peter Turner, the editor of Creative Camera
Creative Camera
Creative Camera was a monthly magazine on fine art photography and documentary photography. The successor to the very different magazine Camera Owner , Creative Camera was published in England between 1968 and 2001.-Editorship:The first editor was Bill Jay...
, by saying "Your magazine's shit". But he impressed Turner (who later acknowledged Ray-Jones as one of the greatest influences on his view of photography), and also worked hard and successfully to have exhibitions of his works.
Tony Ray-Jones returned to the United States in January 1971 to work as a teacher at the San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Art Institute is a school of higher education in contemporary art with the main campus in the Russian Hill district of San Francisco, California. Its graduate center is in the Dogpatch neighborhood. The private, non-profit institution is accredited by WASC and is a member of the...
— one of the few ways in which he could legally stay in the US. He disliked teaching, finding the students self-centered and lazy, but he was soon able to busy himself working on assignments for both the British and the US press.
In late 1971, Ray-Jones started to suffer from exhaustion. Early the next year leukaemia was diagnosed, and he started to have chemotherapy. Medical treatment in the US was too expensive, so Ray-Jones flew to London on 10 March and immediately entered the Royal Marsden Hospital
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
The Royal Marsden Hospital is a specialist cancer treatment hospital in London, England. It is an NHS Foundation Trust, and operates facilities on two sites:*The Chelsea site in Brompton, next to the Royal Brompton Hospital, on Fulham Road...
; he died there on 13 March.
Exhibitions
- A 'father and son' exhibition was held for Raymond and Tony Ray-Jones in 1996, from 19 February – 27 March, at the Astley Cheetham Art Gallery, Ashton-under-Lyne.
- In 2004, a major retrospective show was held at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television (now the National Media Museum), in BradfordBradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
(England). A major retrospective book was also published in 2004. - 2004: Les Rencontres d'Arles festival, France.
- Beginning 1 June 2011 an exhibition of Ray-Jones' work is to be held at the Guernsey Photography Festival.
- "Mass Photography: Blackpool through the Camera", Grundy Art GalleryGrundy Art GalleryThe Grundy is an art gallery located in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It's eclectic programme consists of regional historic to recent contemporary art exhibitions. Opened in 1911, it is owned and operated by Blackpool Council....
(Blackpool), 2011.
External links
- Ray-Jones prints for sale at the Science and Society Picture Library ("the official print sales website of the Science Museum, National Railway Museum and National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, incorporating the Royal Photographic Society Collection")
- Hammans, Roy. "Articles on Tony Ray-Jones and his legacy".
- Jobey, Liz. "The English Seen". The Guardian, 2 October 2004. Long article on the occasion of the opening of "A Gentle Madness: The Photographs Of Tony Ray-Jones (1941–72)" at the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television (BradfordBradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
). - Tony Ray-Jones at the National Media Museum
- Guardian gallery item on Guernsey show. http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2011/may/30/tony-ray-jones-the-english