Lewis Morley
Encyclopedia
Lewis Morley, born in Hong Kong
, 1925, to English and Chinese parents, is a photographer. He was interned in Stanley Internment Camp
during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
between 1941 and 1945, when he was released and went to the United Kingdom
with his family. He studied at Twickenham Art School for three years, and spent time as a painter in Paris
in the 1950s. Perhaps best known for his photographs of Christine Keeler
and Joe Orton
, Morley began his career with assignments for magazines such as Tatler
. He was also a successful theatre photographer.
Morley emigrated to Australia
in 1971 with his wife Patricia and son Lewis, and lives in the inner west of Sydney
. He did studio and commercial work photographing architecture and food in magazines such as Belle, and worked with interior designers and stylists such as Babette Hayes, and Charmaine Solomon until his retirement in 1987. His autobiography Black and White Lies was published in 1992.
In the mid 1990s, Morley ventured into the gallery business when he opened The Lewis Morley Photographers Showcase. Embracing the great tradition of photographic salons, the gallery presented the work of a variety of local photographers from a range of genres including Robert Billington, Brett Leigh Dicks, Russell Kilbey, Brendan Read, Peter Solnace and Greg Rouse.
In 1999, Lewis Morley appeared in the Contemporary Australian Photographers series. It was followed in 2003 with the release of a film about his life and an exhibition Myself and Eye at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
In 2006, an extensive exhibition showcasing 50 years of Lewis Morley work was displayed at the Art Gallery of NSW. This included 150 of his works covering fashion, theatre and reportage, many of which had never before been seen.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, 1925, to English and Chinese parents, is a photographer. He was interned in Stanley Internment Camp
Stanley Internment Camp
Stanley Internment Camp was a civilian internment camp in Hong Kong during World War II. Located in Stanley, on the southern end of Hong Kong Island, it was used by the Japanese imperial forces to hold non-Chinese enemy nationals after their victory in the Battle of Hong Kong, a battle in the...
during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began after the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the territory of Hong Kong to Japan on 25 December 1941 after 18 days of fierce fighting by British and Canadian defenders against overwhelming Japanese Imperial forces. The occupation lasted...
between 1941 and 1945, when he was released and went to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with his family. He studied at Twickenham Art School for three years, and spent time as a painter in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in the 1950s. Perhaps best known for his photographs of Christine Keeler
Christine Keeler
Christine Margaret Keeler is an English former model and showgirl. Her involvement with a British government minister discredited the Conservative government of Harold Macmillan in 1963, in what is known as the Profumo Affair....
and Joe Orton
Joe Orton
John Kingsley Orton was an English playwright.In a short but prolific career lasting from 1964 until his death, he shocked, outraged and amused audiences with his scandalous black comedies...
, Morley began his career with assignments for magazines such as Tatler
Tatler
Tatler has been the name of several British journals and magazines, each of which has viewed itself as the successor of the original literary and society journal founded by Richard Steele in 1709. The current incarnation, founded in 1901, is a glossy magazine published by Condé Nast Publications...
. He was also a successful theatre photographer.
Morley emigrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1971 with his wife Patricia and son Lewis, and lives in the inner west of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. He did studio and commercial work photographing architecture and food in magazines such as Belle, and worked with interior designers and stylists such as Babette Hayes, and Charmaine Solomon until his retirement in 1987. His autobiography Black and White Lies was published in 1992.
In the mid 1990s, Morley ventured into the gallery business when he opened The Lewis Morley Photographers Showcase. Embracing the great tradition of photographic salons, the gallery presented the work of a variety of local photographers from a range of genres including Robert Billington, Brett Leigh Dicks, Russell Kilbey, Brendan Read, Peter Solnace and Greg Rouse.
In 1999, Lewis Morley appeared in the Contemporary Australian Photographers series. It was followed in 2003 with the release of a film about his life and an exhibition Myself and Eye at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
In 2006, an extensive exhibition showcasing 50 years of Lewis Morley work was displayed at the Art Gallery of NSW. This included 150 of his works covering fashion, theatre and reportage, many of which had never before been seen.
External links
- Lewis Morley profile
- Photographing Christine Keeler described on the Victoria and Albert Museum website
- LewisMorley.Com
- Pathe Film of Morley at work