Tim Walker, king of the whimsical, surreal and opulent world of fashion photography. He is one of the most recognised photographers in the world and his style is so singular and iconic that he has long been a source of inspiration for Olivia Annabelle. We absolutely love his work and think you will too!
Whenever I find myself looking at a Tim Walker photo, whether a clipping in a newspaper or a double page spread in a magazine, it’s like being transported to a different world, a world where chaos and beauty reign and there is little time for the rational minded. Extraordinary sets and props are synonymous with the name Tim Walker, a man that does not shy from maximalism. Strewn through the photographs are props and clues like breadcrumbs weaving complex storylines, with the protagonist, often the biggest names in fashion or film, are seemingly transported and portrayed in an Alice-in-wonderland-esc manner. As if they had just fallen down the rabbit hole themselves. For those who don’t know him, Tim Walker is a British photographer born in the 70s with an unrivalled career in fashion photography, think the Grimm’s brother fairy tales crossed with Salvador Dali crossed with your most recent vivid dream that made you really question what the hell goes on in your head. Though Walker says himself that he gets his inspiration from all the same things we do
“I look at television, I read, I look at National Geographic, at newspapers, at documentary photography, at fashion photography, at cinema, at Fassbinder’s films, I look at Merchant Ivory films... Anything that any one of us has seen – high, low, mid – and then I mix it all up.”
His work is always toeing the line between a dream or a nightmare, physically recreating scenes that look like they could be straight from a movie set, working with Vogue, GQ and with a multitude of the most famous faces in the world. He uses the camera as a tool to re create his eccentric and magical imagination.
“The camera is a state of mind. If you are feeling chaotic, the picture will be chaos. If you are feeling sinister the picture will be sinister. Romance, mystery, mischief ... The photograph is a manifestation of your psyche. You have to honour the camera with an utter truth or it won’t work”
Lucky for us, the V&A in London invited Tim Walker to create a retrospective show as well as commissioning him to shoot new photos inspired by the historic walls and archive of the museum/gallery. Our favourite museum + favourite photographer = A dream come true! Scouring the many floors of the victorian Gallery, he encountered “luminous stained-glass windows, vivid Indian miniature paintings, jewelled snuffboxes, erotic illustrations, golden shoes, and a 65-metre-long photograph of the Bayeux Tapestry” These were a few of the treasures he used as a springboard of inspiration to created an immersive exhibition that transports you from the sometimes grey streets of London into a fantastical, colourful world. Altogether he chose 10 items to create series of photographs from, spending a year on the series, meaning ‘Wonderful Things’ has 150 new pieces by Walker.
Always chasing inspiration, we packed our bags and set off for London. Running through the particularly rainy streets we made it to the V&A, handed over our tickets and stepping through the door, you are immediately transported into what I can only imagine the inside of Tim Walkers mind is like, the title of the exhibition ‘Wonderful Things’ floats above your head likes bubbles and projections cover the room that make you feel like you’re underwater. Walking through the exhibition is a magical experience, it allows you a glimpse into the creative genius of Tim Walkers mind, like stepping into one of the photographs themselves. From 10ft sketchbooks propped up to walk through, to the chapel of nudes, the exhibition is an excellent reprieve from amore practical world, like an explosion of colour and makes you wish that some of Tim Walkers fantastical visions were a reality.
The exhibition is running till the 22nd of march so go down the rabbit hole and get inspired, you will be sure to see his influences in our new upcoming collection!
Hattie Matthews
