Kevin Cummins

At the heart of the exhibition of Kevin Cummins is the culturally vibrant city of Manchester, which has been a hotbed of young people’s style and music since the 1980s, from the post-punk of Joy Division to the freedom of Factory to the Mad-chester phenomenon with bands such as the Happy Mondays and the Britpop of Oasis.
“Rock ’n’ roll photography has been unfairly denigrated over the past few years. Many art critics dismiss it as juvenilia. However in my opinion the way we perceive our bands is often formed by the images we remember of them.” (Kevin Cummins)
Cummins’s pictures have become icons. Those such as the “Arca” series, which show Joy Division on a snow-covered bridge in the legendary district of Hulme, have contributed towards forging the unmistakeable bond between Manchester and its music, projecting images of post-industrial spaces of dark brick, under a sky often heavy with rain, that are variously romantic, violent, creative and dark.

Kevin Cummins (Manchester, 1956) studied photography at Salford College. He started photographing rock bands in the mid 1970s in Manchester and had a 25-year association with the NME. He has photographed all the major musicians including Joy Division, the Manic Street Preachers, The Clash, Sex Pistols, R.E.M., U2, Patti Smith, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, The Smiths, Roisin Murphy, Oasis, Foo Fighters, Courtney Love, Michael Hutchence, The Stone Roses and Buzzcocks. His images have been seen a contributing factor in the rise of the Manchester and Cool Britannia scenes.
Cummins was instrumental in establishing City Life, Manchester's what’s on guide and was a founding contributor to “The Face”, the influential style magazine where he won an award for Magazine Cover of the Year.
Cummins’s photographs have been used extensively in cinema and TV documentaries including Grant Gee's Joy Division and John Dower's Live Forever: The Rise and Fall of Brit Pop.
He worked extensively for the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester when it opened in the late 1970s through to mid-1980s. He shoots regularly for the National Theatre in London, most recently Harper Regan and Mrs Affleck.
A life long Manchester City supporter, Cummins documented City's final season at Maine Road in the book We're Not Really Here.
 

Info
Spazio Gerra
Piazza XXV Aprile - Reggio Emilia
Tel. 0522 451152, 0522 456249, 0522 456635, 0522 456448
Free entrance

Open Times:
Opening Friday 7th May, 19.00
7th May from 19.00 to 24.00; 8th - 9th May from 10.00 to 23.00
From 10th May to 13rd June: from Tuesdays to Fridays from 20.00 to 23.00; Saturdays, Sundays and festivals from 10.00 to 23.00. Monday closed. Open in the morning for schools.

7th May at 19.00 - Spazio Gerra
The Manchester scene through music and photography
Carlo Antonelli talks to Kevin Cummins. Hosted by Luca Frazzi

7th May at 21.30 - Piazza San Prospero
Unknown Pleasures - Tribute to Ian Curtis and Joy Division

Peter Hook live
Performance live Jonny La Rosa, Magpie, Mquestionmark, Julie’s Haircut

At  24.00 p.m. - L’Imperfetto
Presentation of the CD A different story. Songs by Joy Division. A Spazio Gerra production.
Live performance by The Perris, followed by a DJ set

7th May at 23.30 - Cinema AlCorso
Projections: Control (2007-122') by Anton Corbijn
Repeat performance 17 May at 9.30 p.m.

8th May at 23.30 - Cinema AlCorso
Projections: 24 Hour Party People (2002 - 117') by Michael Winterbottom
Repeat performance 24 May at 21.30

9th May at 21.30 - Cinema AlCorso
Projections: Joy Division (2007 - 94') by Grant Gee
Repeat performance 31 May at 21.30