Richard Young Gallery launches ‘A Kind Of Magic’ exhibition of unseen archive photographsTO HONOUR FREDDIE MERCURY’S 70TH BIRTHDAY
image © Richard Young
TO HONOUR FREDDIE MERCURY’S 70TH BIRTHDAY SHOTS BY CELEBRITY PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD YOUNG WILL OFFER A NEVER BEFORE SEEN INSIGHT INTO FREDDIE MERCURY’S CAREER
The exhibition, to honour what would have been Freddie’s 70th birthday, will showcase images shot through the lens of celebrity photographer Richard Young, a close friend of Freddie’s. The pair first met properly on New Years Eve in 1978 at a small club in Jermyn Street called Maunkberry. With camera in hand, no expectations and a few hours to kill, this turned out to be one of the best nights of Young’s photographic career: “First in the door Keith Richards, Ron and Jo Wood, followed by Roger Taylor, Freddie Mercury, Rod Stewart and Britt Ekland. Although I had shot Freddie at various parties around town, this was the evening that cemented our relationship thanks to Queen’s International Publicist, Roxie Mead.” Image © Richard Young
These moments are featured in A Kind of Magic where the insider’s view of Freddie Mercury’s glamorous world will be on display, including extravagant private and public birthday parties; backstage and onstage shots of international concerts from Ibiza, to Budapest, Rio and Barcelona; and music video shoots. Young’s favourite memory was Mercury’s 39th birthday: “The parties were always wild, full of laughter and unique. When you were in Freddie’s inner circle you would always be given a nickname, mine was Muriel Young. This was after the TV presenter from the 50’s, and Freddie would always say, “Come on Muriel!” I loved it. I felt I was part of his family.” There were also many times Freddie Mercury invited Young to capture intimate portraits. In October 2013, Young’s candid photograph of Mercury at home was inducted into the National Portrait Gallery. Roxie Mead comments, “In those latter years wherever, whenever, Richard was invariably there and his photographs are a remarkable testament of this remarkable man.” Image © Richard Young
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August 24, 2016 9:38am ET by Murray Chalmers PR
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