A RELATIVE of renowned British photographer Brian Griffin, who grew up in the Black Country, would like to see a permanent memorial to him in his former hometown of Lye.
The art world was left in mourning when news broke of the death of Brian Griffin, one of the UK’s most prominent photographers of his generation.
Birmingham-born Brian, who grew up in Stocking Street in Lye in the 1950s and 60s, died in his sleep on January 27 at the age of 75.
After initially finding work in the engineering industry upon leaving Halesowen Technical School, he went on to study photography at Manchester Polytechnic in the early 1970s and became one of the best British photographers of the 1970s and 80s.
His work was featured in many of the most important exhibitions devoted to contemporary British photography and he became known for the album covers he produced for bands in the 80s for the likes of Depeche Mode, Iggy Pop, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Echo and the Bunnymen.
He later moved into directing advertising commercials and music videos in the 1990s, but he returned to his photography roots in 2002 and went on to showcase his work around the world including at New York's famous Steven Kasher Gallery in 2016.
Over the years he won many awards for his photography and video work, as well as publishing numerous books including The Black Kingdom - an autobiography of his life growing up in the Black Country – and his striking images are held in permanent collections of a host of major art institutions.
Despite his success, London-based Brian never forgot his roots and returned to the Black Country often to visit family.
His cousin Lynne Phipson, who lives in Wollescote, said: “He was a typical Black Country guy, the salt of the earth. He’d always talk about The Lye and the Black Country.
“He was eccentric and worked hard; that’s how he got to where he got. He would painstakingly work on sets to get the lighting right.
“He came back to the Black Country as often as he could, he would come and see my dad.
"He would pop to the cemetery and have a walk down The Lye. He said he wanted to come back here to be buried.”
The down-to-earth artist got his final wish and was laid to rest in Lye and Wollescote Cemetery near to his parents Edith and James, after a funeral service at Bethel Chapel on February 26 which drew mourners from as far afield as Iceland.
Among the attendees was the renowned British documentary photographer Martin Parr.
The two esteemed cameramen were good friends – with Parr giving an address at a memorial service for Brian that was held in London on March 6.
Now Lynne, aged 63, is hoping that a permanent memorial to Brian could be installed in Lye to remember him and commemorate his international success.
She said: “Maybe a plaque on a wall in Stocking Street or by the church.
"I feel he should be recognised and it would be nice to put Lye on the map; it’s in the press for all the wrong reasons."
A memorial to Hollywood actor Sir Cedric Hardwicke, who hailed from Lye, was created by artist Tim Tolkien and installed at Lye Cross in 2005 after a lengthy campaign to recognise the Black Country-born star of a raft of 1930s and 40s movies including The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Ghost of Frankenstein.
Lynne can be contacted by email (lphipson@yahoo.co.uk) if anyone is interested in helping to commemorate Brian in his childhood home town.
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