Lovely piece on Julia Margaret Cameron, who was 200 years old in June (G2, 23 September). We did a special presentation at Bestival a couple of weeks back, or where we brought her back to life (through an actress resurrecting her in the Bestiversity marquee) and highlighted the campaign to put this pioneering photographer on the £20 note. Enthusiasts described variously by the authorities as dreamers,a bunch of old hippies and amateurs (I plead guilty as charged to all three) saved the house where she lived in Freshwater from the bulldozers. She named it Dimbola, after her tea estates in what was then Ceylon, and it was in Sri Lanka that she died in 1879,her last word being “beautiful”.
Dimbola is now a flourishing art gallery and museum, which shows a permanent collection of Julia’s work – she invented the idea of a photograph as an art thing – as well as modern shows by the likes of Patti Smith, or Annie Leibovitz,Linda and Mary McCartney, and David Bailey, and all of whom gain paid tribute to her influence. We also host a permanent exhibition to the considerable 1970 Isle of Wight festival,held within sight and sound, and there is a life-sized statue of Jimi Hendrix external near Julia’s original studio. We also host plays, and readings and concerts,from Bach to Its A Beautiful Day. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com