Exhibition
The Music Is Black: A British Story
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A Life in the Work of Others with Dennis Morris
A dynamic discussion with photographer Dennis Morris on the works which have shaped his creative journey, thinking process and sense of place and purpose in the world.
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Past Event
The Music is Black: A British Story will be opening at V&A East Museum in Spring 2026. Central to the exhibition’s narrative are eight British born Black music genres (Lovers Rock, Brit Funk, 2 Tone, Jungle, Drum n Bass, Trip Hop, UK Garage and Grime). Photography will vividly bring recall to many musical memories.
Dennis Morris has been photographing people and his surroundings for over fifty years. Born in Jamaica, he moved to Hackney, east London, with his mother in the early 1960s. His keen interest in photography led to him entering school competitions and spending time capturing different social and faith communities and events in the capital.
Aged just 15, whilst skipping school in hopes of meeting Bob Marley during a concert soundcheck, Morris was invited to join the band on the road for the first UK tour. He went on to shoot what have since become iconic images of Marley and the Wailers.
Morris work has come to represent contemporary music in all its forms with an archive that stretches from documentary to editorial, musical to culture his work embraces the identities of his subjects to capture their personalities, style and ambitions through the lens.
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