Terry O’Neill Remembered, One Year On: Box Galleries’ Latest Exhibition

From David Bowie to Frank Sinatra, Sean Connery and even The Queen, Terry O’Neill has captured some the world’s biggest stars. Now, a year since his passing, Box Galleries is commemorating the illustrious British photographer with a dedicated retrospective: Terry O’Neill Remembered, One Year On.

Terry O’Neill, Audrey Hepburn in Pool, South of France, 1966 © Terry O’Neill/Iconic Images

Showcasing a range of O’Neill’s remarkable photography from his impressive 60-year career – from a joyous shot of iconic Audrey Hepburn filming Two for the Road to Faye Dunaway sitting poolside post-Oscars at the Beverly Hills Hotel – the celebratory exhibition aims to meaningfully capture the late photographer’s legacy, as O’Neill captured the heart of fame, fashion and unconventionality.

Terry O’Neill, Fay Dunaway, Los Angeles 1977 © Terry O’Neill/Iconic Images

“I started from the top and never looked back”, O’Neill previously stated – true, considering his first two ventures were to photograph The Beatles and The Stones. The photographer’s repertoire reads like an A-list hall of fame, but what set him apart was his ability to capture such notable characters in an entirely alternate light.

On his renowned image of Faye Dunaway after the Oscars, he said: “I didn’t want to take the photo everyone else would take. You know, the one right after, where they look surprised, happy, holding up their shiny new Oscar. I wanted to capture something different – the morning after. The moment when the star wakes up and it dawns on them that, overnight, everything in their careers, their lives, just changed. I explained the idea to Faye and told her, “If you win – meet me by the pool at dawn. Bring the Oscar.”

Terry O’Neill, David Bowie, Diamond Dogs © Terry O’Neill/Iconic Images

Other notable photographs viewers can expect include that of Elton John, Michael Caine, and legendary singer-songwriter Bowie, whom O’Neill described as his “creative muse” in a 2019 interview with The Guardian. The photographer encapsulated Bowie’s transformative years across two decades, in which, on his last shoot with the star in 1992, he stated: “It felt like we had come full circle.”

Terry O’Neill by Mark Thomas 2019

Founder and owner of Chelsea’s Box Galleries, Emma Moir, said that working with Terry was “a life-changing experience”, and that “showing his work at Box Galleries was, and remains, an absolute privilege.” The gallery hosted his final solo show in March 2019, but this year’s subsequent retrospective will demonstrate the power of his legacy and timeless photography.

In light of recent government regulations, Terry O’Neill Remembered, One Year On will be available to view online until the gallery reopens on 2 December. boxgalleries.com

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