A decade ago today, one of the most revered singer-songwriters in musical history passed away. In celebration of the life of Amy Winehouse, her good friend and photographer Phil Griffin is putting on an exhibition of never-before-seen shots of the musician, Amy In The Light.
The pair first connected in 2006 when Griffin worked as a creative on Amy’s Back To Black album, and the new exhibition showcases re-imagined photos from that period of time. The intimate and glowing portraits, lit by coloured lights, see mirrored images of Winehouse laid on her back, while others shot in black and white capture a sense of her sharp wit, charisma, and charm.
“When I thought about revisiting my work with Amy to mark this ten years of life since her, it was with some trepidation,” Griffin said. “My relationship with Amy was gentle, not rock’n’roll, nor dramatic or chaotic at all. It was simple, I always felt protective, always felt close, even at a distance.”
“These new works – often in mirror or dual format – each image very slightly different from the next, allow me to look at Amy as though she is both present and absent in the same moment,” he continued. “It reminds me that whilst we lost her too soon, we have her forever in so many other ways. This new re-imagination of her image has allowed me to recover some memories, re-look, and re-wonder at all the colours Amy was to us all.”
Also marking the milestone since the artist’s passing, a documentary largely told from the viewpoint of Amy’s mother is due to be released this year. Meanwhile, there is speculation that previously unheard music could be on the way, after her parents, Mitch Winehouse and Janis Winehouse-Collins, confirmed that there were demos that they wanted fans to hear.
Amy In The Light opens with a private view today (July 23), before opening to the public on July 26 at the Brownsword Hepworth gallery in Knightsbridge, London, until September 14. It will also be available to view online