The Bailey News

One would hardly have guessed it at the time, but now a sort of lurid innocence bathes the London of the sixties. Collect the cast: rock troubadours, pothead peers, painters, models, an older fop or two. Plus David Bailey, in whose photographs they are preserved. British portrait photographers used to keep a respectful distance from their subjects. But Bailey, learning from Cecil Beaton and Tony ArmstrongJones, gave himself equal billing. His style was confrontational, but jaunty, not aggressive. He was not the only cocky young photographer from the wrong side of the tracks, but his career has proved the most durable. Bailey's new stuff—photographs and acrylic on canvas—is as insolent as ever, and can be seen this month at LA's Fahey/Klein Gallery. "David Bailey / Makes love daily" went a sixties ditty. As I say, innocent times.

ANTHONY HADEN-GUEST