Manic Street Preacher's Nicky Wire showcases his 30-year love affair with Polaroids
Manic Street Preachers bass guitarist Nicky Wire is showing off his other artistic talents this autumn following the opening of his ‘My Little Empire’ exhibition at Narberth Museum.
The exhibition features 26 pieces, each showcasing Wire’s long-lasting love affair with the Polaroid camera.
Nicky, who has a home in Tenby, has been collecting mementos in the form of Polaroids for the past 30 years. Some he's snapped himself, while others he's sourced from photographers during promo sessions or whenever the four-piece band from Blackwood in south Wales were on tour.
In previous interviews, Wire explained that his Polaroid habit stems back to his childhood, when his parents allowed him and his older brother, Patrick, to take photographs during birthdays, holidays and Christmas celebrations.
The current exhibition features 26 new works and includes works depicting Richard Burton, RS Thomas, Jean Paul Basquiat, Albert Camus, Marilyn Monroe, and Derek Jarman, among others. There are also several self-portraits in the collection.
Polaroid images are once again gaining in popularity. Not only are they instantly visible in physical print, but they are also very difficult to fake, As a result, many businesses continue to use them for accident investigation purposes. Polaroid photographs also have a distinct, nostalgic look with their soft, muted colours and an imperfect quality that stands in contrast to the clinical perfection of some contemporary digital images.
The exhibition is being organised and guest-curated by Mark Lewis who previously worked with Nicky on his 2018 exhibition in Tenby.
“The exhibition came about after I contacted Nicky to say that one of his pictures was being used in the Dylan Thomas exhibition at Narberth Museum," explained Nicky.
"He said he'd always liked Narberth and would love to show his work there and so we chatted, and arranged it to open between tour dates.
"I'm really delighted that Nicky chose to work with me again, to curate his second solo art exhibition, after the success of his first ever solo exhibition curated by me in 2018.
"His support for small independent museums in Wales is fantastic and really helps to raise their profile."
Nicky Wire's ‘My Little Empire’ exhibition runs until December 13.
Manic Street Preacher's Nicky Wire showcases his 30-year love affair with Polaroids
Manic Street Preachers bass guitarist Nicky Wire is showing off his other artistic talents this autumn following the opening of his ‘My Little Empire’ exhibition at Narberth Museum.
The exhibition features 26 pieces, each showcasing Wire’s long-lasting love affair with the Polaroid camera.
Nicky, who has a home in Tenby, has been collecting mementos in the form of Polaroids for the past 30 years. Some he's snapped himself, while others he's sourced from photographers during promo sessions or whenever the four-piece band from Blackwood in south Wales were on tour.
In previous interviews, Wire explained that his Polaroid habit stems back to his childhood, when his parents allowed him and his older brother, Patrick, to take photographs during birthdays, holidays and Christmas celebrations.
The current exhibition features 26 new works and includes works depicting Richard Burton, RS Thomas, Jean Paul Basquiat, Albert Camus, Marilyn Monroe, and Derek Jarman, among others. There are also several self-portraits in the collection.
Polaroid images are once again gaining in popularity. Not only are they instantly visible in physical print, but they are also very difficult to fake, As a result, many businesses continue to use them for accident investigation purposes. Polaroid photographs also have a distinct, nostalgic look with their soft, muted colours and an imperfect quality that stands in contrast to the clinical perfection of some contemporary digital images.
The exhibition is being organised and guest-curated by Mark Lewis who previously worked with Nicky on his 2018 exhibition in Tenby.
“The exhibition came about after I contacted Nicky to say that one of his pictures was being used in the Dylan Thomas exhibition at Narberth Museum," explained Nicky.
"He said he'd always liked Narberth and would love to show his work there and so we chatted, and arranged it to open between tour dates.
"I'm really delighted that Nicky chose to work with me again, to curate his second solo art exhibition, after the success of his first ever solo exhibition curated by me in 2018.
"His support for small independent museums in Wales is fantastic and really helps to raise their profile."
Nicky Wire's ‘My Little Empire’ exhibition runs until December 13.
Image: Mark Lewis