Jill Furmanovsky

Born in Southern Rhodesia, Furmanovsky emigrated with her parents - her father subsequently worked at an architecture practice[1] - and brother Michael to London in 1965.[2] She studied textile and graphic design at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design from 1972 to 1974. In 1972, she became the official photographer at the Rainbow Theatre, a significant venue for rock performances in the 1970s.[3]

Furmanovsky has photographed many major rock musicians, including Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd (a young Roger Waters had briefly been a colleague of her father[1]), Mike Oldfield, The Ramones, Bob Marley, Amy Winehouse, Eric Clapton, Blondie, The Police, The Clash, The Undertones, The Sex Pistols, The Pretenders and Oasis. Her book, The Moment – 25 Years of Rock Photography was published in 1995, and an exhibition of Oasis photographs, Was There Then, toured the UK and Ireland in 1997. The exhibition was followed by publication of the book Was There Then – A Photographic Journey with Oasis.[4]

Photograph of Charlie Watts

Furmanovsky has received several awards for her music photography, including 'The Jane Bown Observer Portrait Award' for her portrait of Charlie Watts in 1992.[3] Following in the lead of the photographic co-operative Magnum Photos, Furmanovsky established a website, rockarchive.com, in 1998. The aim was to make the work of Furmanovsky and photographic colleagues and visual artists more accessible to fans and collectors. To launch the project, Furmanovsky selected 30 classic black and white images of major rock artists from her 30-year archive, to make into an edition of 30 darkroom prints.[3][5]

• The Moment: 25 Years of Rock Photography, 1995, London, Paper Tiger, ISBN 978-1850281498
• Was There Then Oasis. A Photographic Journey, 1997, London, Ebury Press, ISBN 978-0091863180

• Jill Furmanovsky
• Jill Furmanovsky at the National Portrait Gallery
• Rockarchive