Harry Diamond

Photo:Harry at the Serpentine Gallery 1981

Harry at the Serpentine Gallery 1981

Fiona Green

Photo:Interior at Paddington

Interior at Paddington

Painting by Lucian Freud

Photo:Fiona & Katie

Fiona & Katie

Harry Diamond 1975

Photographer

By Fiona Green

Harry Diamond, the photographer's Photographer. I met Harry through Lucian Freud. They were good & loyal friends to me as a country blow-in from Devon.Harry was funny & irrascible,'cos he had had a terrible childhood; leaving home at 13 to find his way in the world.He was encouraged in his work by the photographer, Bruce Bernard, who kept a keen eye out for him.He photographed many famous contemporaries,like his friends Francis Bacon & Lucian Freud,but also had an archive collection of marvellous East End faces too.Nearing the end of Harry's life, I helped ensure that all his work went to the National Portrait Gallery.I took this photo in the 1980's at the Serpentine Gallery, at a show of Frank Bowling, another friend & the first black Royal Academician. The portrait of Harry below my photo is by Lucian Freud. The third photo is one Harry took of my daughter,Katie & I at the Fitzrovia Festival in 1975

Harry died 3 December 2009 aged 85

www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/.../harry-diamond-obituary - Cached - Similar

Note : Dec 2014

It is the anniversary of Harry's death 6 years ago

We are hoping to have a major show of Harry's photographs & a book about him, so if anyone has memories they wish to share,will you please leave contact details here

December 2016

The National Portrait Gallery in London are considering curating a show of Harry's work & an author has been commissioned to write a book about him.

This page was added by Fiona Green on 27/07/2011.
Comments about this page

I will be in London soon & would love to talk with you Please get in touch with a phone number ,Henry,Fiona

By Fiona Green
On 30/05/2016

Thank you,Henry : could you send me your details please?

I can be reached at fionaskene@hotmail.com

By Fiona Green
On 30/01/2016

Dear Fiona, It's very interesting that you're hoping to put on a show of Harry's work and perhaps to produce a book as well. I wish you all the best and am looking forward to seeing them come to fruition. I knew Harry from his local pub in Stepney in the 90s, where we would sometimes meet for a drink. I got chatting to him because I just iked his style, not knowing anything about him. I soon found out what he'd been up to as a younger man. He was a gold mine of stories.He was a good man with a mind all of his own. A one off...I used to run a gallery behind the London Hospital and tried a few times to persuade him to show at the gallery. He was always too nervous about the tax man to agree to anything! I would love to help you to put  on the show in any way that I can. Thanks for posting this photo and your memories of him. Best wishes Henry Richardson

By Henry Richardson
On 23/01/2016
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