At the Diesel Gallery in Shibuya, from November 18 2011 to January 2012, the UK (Bristol) documentary photographer artist Beezer will exhibit a selection of his work created in the early 1980’s.
“Kiss the future, protest and survive, this is one camera that ever lies” Mark Stewart
“VOICES!”, a solo exhibition of Beezer’s work photographed in the mid 1980’s, includes images shot in Bristol, London, Barcelona and Cairo. The works, mostly unseen and never exhibited till now, will be displayed in four sections: “VOICES of Protest”, “VOICES of Music”, “VOICES of Art”, and “VOICES of People”. Beezer is well known for capturing some of the brightest moments of the youth culture in his hometown of Bristol, The subjects of his early work include friends who later moved on to become internationally known musicians and artists.
The work exhibited in VOICES! reminds us of the continuous desire of the human spirit to assert and express itself via music, art, protest and its own voice and physical existence.
Exhibited works and limited edition commemorative art book are available for purchase at the gallery during the exhibition as well as original T-shirts, a limited edition poster and tote bags.
About the Artist
Born in Bristol, UK, in 1965. Beezer is a documentary photographic artist of the street. Beezer left school early in the early '80s and studied photography at Bristol Technical College. He made his first documentary series of photos in Bristol at a very rough boy's school in Southmead in Bristol. In the early 1980’s, the Bristol music scene was burgeoning, both for live music and DJ-ing. It was also at this time that the conservative Thatcher government’s policies created social unrest and protest. Apartheid was at its peak in South Africa and graffiti art, reggae sound systems and protests & riots spread. During this time, which Beezer calls the Wild Dayz, he documented this influential and fertile period of musical, artistic and social history – the result was a record of the emerging underground youth culture that helped shape later mainstream lifestyles in the UK and the music generated in those years gave birth to artists such as Massive Attack, Roni Size, Smith & Mighty, Tricky, Mark Stewart, Nellee Hooper (produced Bjork, Madonna, U2, Soul ll Soul, Sinead O’Connor), all whose music and creative culture still influences the world today. This era was the focus of his acclaimed photo documentary book “The Wild Dayz”. After the Wild Dayz time Beezer moved to London, traveled to Barcelona, Morocco & Cairo. Since then has worked in New York, all over Asia and the South Pacific. Beezer has photographed for Venue magazine, the New Musical Express (NME) and has exhibited in the UK at the Bristol City Museum And Gallery, Arnofini, Manchester URBIS Gallery amongst others. Much of his work outside of his widely known Wild Dayz series is virtually unknown. Beezer moved to Tokyo where he based himself till 2009. He now shares his time between Bristol and Tokyo.
