This summer, Foam presents Swinging Sixties London – Photography in the Capital of Cool. The thematic group show immerses visitors in the dazzling London of the sixties, an era bursting with possibilities.

The presentation touches upon all of the remarkable developments in and around photography at the time: fashion, celebrities, music, magazines, design and social change. In the exhibition, Foam brings together the work of iconic photographers of the sixties – who in their heyday were often as famous as the stars in front of their cameras. Featuring work by Terence Donovan, Brian Duffy, John French, Norman Parkinson, James Barnor, John Hopkins, John Cowan, Eric Swayne and Philip Townsend.

International Epicentre

In the mid-1960s, the capital of England stood for everything hip, fashionable and cool. In April 1966, America’s Time Magazine even dedicated a complete issue to London: ‘the Swinging City’. “Ancient elegance and new opulence are all tangled up in a dazzling blur of op and pop,” writes Piri Halasz in the legendary cover story. This period in London’s history represents the transformation the capital underwent in the decennia after the war, from a grim, shattered city to an international and lively epicentre for style, culture and fashion.

Decade of Growth

The Swinging Sixties marked the birth of the superstar, the fan and the individual, but also saw an economic growth which resulted in extensive democratization. From now on, fashion and leisure were available for many more people. attitudes among the younger generation changed, too. In the sixties, the free-spirited baby boomers rebelled against the conservative post-war culture of their parents. These were the golden days for music, design, fashion and style, and it was in London where models became superstars. Pop stars grew even bigger, with bands like The Kinks, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles defining the sound of the sixties.Continue Reading..