Kevin Cummins: Archivum
11 November – 23 December 2022
31 Museum Street
London
WC1A 1LH
Paul Stolper is pleased to announce ‘Archivum‘ by Kevin Cummins, an exhibition of archival photographs of Joy Division, and the launch of the book ‘Archivum’, in both regular and limited edition, which shows for the first time over 50 unique black-and-white prints of the group, many printed just hours after concerts had finished. The book not only documents the history of a now iconic and era-defining group, but also focuses for the first time on the history of the photographs themselves, how and when they were printed, how Cummins composed his portraits, and how they were used.
“I think because it’s a close -up … it has the feel of an icon to me”
“I could stand there quite still and frame a picture, and then as Ian moved into frame, I would capture him.”
© Kevin Cummins
Cummins, as a young, aspiring photographer from Manchester, had unique access to the group in their very early days, from their previous incarnation as Warsaw to after Ian Curtis’ death when they evolved into New Order. Many of these photographs were reproduced by NME and other music magazines in the late 1970s and they helped cement Cummins’ reputation as the greatest music photographer of his generation – he was subsequently made NME’s chief photographer for over ten years.
“I had to stay sober, shoot the gig, then drive to Cheshire and process the film, contact sheet it, choose the pictures, print those, and then put the pictures on the train for NME to pick up that morning”
© Kevin Cummins
The original photographic black-and white prints are reproduced, with the photographer’s notes and marks on the back. The book also includes a specially commissioned interview with Kevin Cummins offering a new insight into the band and the photographer’s techniques.
“Their music was kind of urban alienation and I wanted to locate them in Manchester at that time which was still in a period of flux” Kevin Cummins Accompanying the exhibition will be the launch of the limited-edition version of ‘Archivum’, the regular edition of the book split into three separately bound chapters, each with a different cover which when put together side by side make up Kevin’s seminal photograph ‘Joy Division. Hulme, Manchester. 6 January 1979′. Packaged together in a foil-blocked slip case with the third volume signed on the cover by Kevin Cummins.
The slip case includes a photogravure portrait of Ian Curtis ‘Untitled 6 January 1979’, which is also signed and numbered. Limited to 150 copies worldwide.
©2022 Kevin Cummins, Paul Stopler
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