Friday, March 28, 2008

RIP Philip Jones Griffiths



Sadly world-class Welsh photographer Philip Jones Griffiths died last week. Best known for his inspirational work in Vietnam Griffiths was also for a time head of the Magnum photo agency in New York.

In 2004 he was kind enough to do an email interview with me. Odd, over the past few days, to see quotes from it appearing in everything from the New York Times to the International Herald Tribune.

Above is a video from Griffiths' year long US exhibition (2005-6) entitled 50 Years on the Frontlines. Also check out more of his work at Magnum.

The biggest photographic influence on Griffiths was Henri Cartier-Bresson. The respect was mutual. According to Cartier-Bresson: "Not since Goya has anyone portrayed war like Philip Jones Griffiths."