Rock photographer Jill Furmanovsky returns to Barbican Music Library to present a photographic celebration of the iconic Abbey Road Studios.

Featuring prints, photographs, artefacts and vintage microphones, Inside Abbey Road Studios – Through the lens of Jill Furmanovsky showcases her work since 1975, when she photographed Pink Floyd during the ‘Wish You Were Here’ recording sessions.

Her recent work includes Nile Rodgers, Royal Blood, Novelist, and Mura Masa, as well as emerging musical talent working in the two new studios at the complex. Jill became Artist in Residence at Abbey Road Studios last year.

A collaboration between Abbey Road Studios, Jill Furmanovsky and Barbican Music Library, the exhibition at the City of London Corporation-owned library will run from 9 April to 27 June.

The exhibition is sponsored by Naim Audio & Audio-Technica Ltd.

Mark Robertson, Abbey Road Studios’ Head of Brand & Marketing, said:

“This exhibition is a wonderful opportunity to reveal some of the magic that happens inside Abbey Road Studios, as seen through the lens of Jill Furmanovsky.

“Making Jill our Artist in Residence made total sense given her incredible history with the studios, capturing iconic moments with Pink Floyd in the 1970s and Oasis in the 1990s.

“We opened two new studios in early 2017, designed to make Abbey Road more accessible to emerging artists, and Jill has documented some of these sessions with future stars Novelist, Mura Masa, DJ Yoda, and Judas, as well as legends, such as Nile Rodgers and Noel Gallagher.”

Photographer Jill Furmanovsky said:

“As a 14-year old devoted member of the Beatles’ Fan Club, I dreamt of being allowed into Abbey Road Studios, so I've never gotten over the thrill of stepping into that holy building.

“My first visit was in 1976 with Pink Floyd, who were recording 'Wish You Were Here' and I've subsequently been back many times to photograph some of the world's greatest musicians making music, which was an incredible privilege.

“This exhibition, which is a collaboration with the wonderful staff at Abbey Road, will give music fans a chance to see what goes on beyond the famous zebra crossing.

“Finally, on behalf of the Rockarchive collective, it is a delight to be returning to the Barbican Music Library, which has become an unique music-inspired art gallery”. 

Curator Michael Southwell, the City Corporation’s Principal Library Assistant at Barbican Music Library, said:

“It is so exciting to see the return of the talented photographer, Jill Furmanovsky, to the Barbican Music Library, not least, because I have been a fan of her work for a long time.

“Her previous ‘Chunk of Punk’ exhibition here was an international hit, so I’m looking forward to curating with her again and seeing her current and historical Abbey Road Studios photographs, as well as working with the team at Abbey Road Studios.”

The City of London Corporation, which owns and manages Barbican Music Library, invests over £100m every year in heritage and cultural activities of all kinds. It is the UK’s largest funder of culture after the government, the BBC, and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Images from the exhibition are available on request from Andrew Buckingham (see below).

For more information, please contact:

Andrew Buckingham, Media Officer, City of London Corporation

Tel: 020 7332 1452 / Mobile: 07795 333060 / Email andrew.buckingham@cityoflondon.gov.uk

ABOUT BARBICAN MUSIC LIBRARY

Barbican Music Library, which is free to join, is one of the most significant public music col­lections in the country, with over 15,000 CDs and DVDs covering a range of different musi­cal styles. It also boasts a stock of nearly 16,000 music scores and an extensive collection of books about music and musicians; and over 70 periodicals covering different aspects of music and recording, with selected back issues available for reference. Six listening booths are provided, in which recordings from the lending collection can be listened to free of charge. Two digital pianos are available free of charge for practice purposes.

ABOUT THE CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION:

The City of London Corporation provides local government and policing services for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the 'Square Mile'. In addition, the City Corporation has three roles:

• We support London’s communities by working in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on economic regeneration, education and skills projects. In addition, the City of London Corporation’s charity City Bridge Trust makes grants of around £20 million annually to charitable projects across London and we also support education with three independent schools, three City Academies, a primary school and the world-renowned Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

• We also help look after key London’s heritage and green spaces including Tower Bridge, Museum of London, Barbican Arts Centre, City gardens, Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, and important ‘commons’ in south London.

• We also support and promote the ‘City’ as a world-leading financial and business hub, with outward and inward business delegations, high-profile civic events and research-driven policies all reflecting a long-term approach.

See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk for more details.