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Untitled [three girls in fur coats] from the series On a Good Day

Photograph
1970s (photographed), 2010 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

By the 1970s, American photographer Al Vandenberg (1932-2012) had abandoned his commercial career to take street photographs. Having studied photography in New York alongside Alexey Brodovitch, Richard Avedon and Bruce Davidson, Vandenberg became a successful commercial photographer and art director working in both New York and London during the 1960s. After a period of travelling, he settled in London in 1974 with the aim of using his photographic skills to create portraits of city life without a commercial agenda.

Vandenberg’s series On a Good Day documents a wide variety of Londoners. Although made on the street, the photographs are carefully posed and the subjects present themselves head-on to the camera with ease and confidence. Vandenberg encouraged the people he photographed to engage in the process. The portraits capture the urban styles of the era, such as the fur coats worn by these women.

The V&A acquired fifteen photographs from Al Vandenberg’s On a Good Day series as part of the Staying Power project. Staying Power is a five year partnership between the V&A and Black Cultural Archives. The project aims to explore black British experience from the 1950s to the 1990s through photographs acquired by the V&A and oral histories conducted by Black Cultural Archives.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleUntitled [three girls in fur coats] from the series On a Good Day (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Gelatin silver print
Brief description
Photograph by Al Vandenberg, 'Untitled' [three girls in fur coats] from the series On a Good Day, gelatin silver print, London, 1970s, printed 2010
Physical description
Black and white photograph of three black girls smiling wearing long fur coats and a variety of hats standing against metal railings. The girl to the right holds on to the girl in the centre
Dimensions
  • Image height: 11.5cm
  • Image width: 17.8cm
Style
Credit line
Given in part by Al Vandenberg and Eric Franck. Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Object history
The V&A acquired this photograph as part of the Staying Power project. Staying Power is a five year partnership between the V&A and Black Cultural Archives. The project aims to explore black British experience from the 1950s to the 1990s through photographs acquired by the V&A and oral histories conducted by Black Cultural Archives.
Subjects depicted
Summary
By the 1970s, American photographer Al Vandenberg (1932-2012) had abandoned his commercial career to take street photographs. Having studied photography in New York alongside Alexey Brodovitch, Richard Avedon and Bruce Davidson, Vandenberg became a successful commercial photographer and art director working in both New York and London during the 1960s. After a period of travelling, he settled in London in 1974 with the aim of using his photographic skills to create portraits of city life without a commercial agenda.

Vandenberg’s series On a Good Day documents a wide variety of Londoners. Although made on the street, the photographs are carefully posed and the subjects present themselves head-on to the camera with ease and confidence. Vandenberg encouraged the people he photographed to engage in the process. The portraits capture the urban styles of the era, such as the fur coats worn by these women.

The V&A acquired fifteen photographs from Al Vandenberg’s On a Good Day series as part of the Staying Power project. Staying Power is a five year partnership between the V&A and Black Cultural Archives. The project aims to explore black British experience from the 1950s to the 1990s through photographs acquired by the V&A and oral histories conducted by Black Cultural Archives.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
E.427-2010

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Record createdFebruary 1, 2011
Record URL
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