John Claridge

John Claridge was born in London’s East End in 1944. He began taking photographs at the age of eight with a plastic camera won at a local funfair. He left school at fifteen and took a job in the photography department at McCann-Erickson, becoming David Montgomery’s assistant. During his two years there, he was inspired by many, including the legendary designer Robert Brownjohn.

When just seventeen, he turned up on the doorstep of Bill Brandt’s Hampstead home to present the renowned photographer with a print and was received with courtesy and kindness. In 1963, he opened a studio near St. Paul’s Cathedral, specialising in magazine work and advertising. He pursued a career in advertising until recently, producing work for many large corporations. In 1967, he wrote, produced, and shot a controversial short film, Five Soldiers, about the American Civil War, with implicit allusion to the Vietnam War.

John Claridge has authored some fifty books, mostly published by his own company Lizard’s Eye, including Warriors, Heroes, Boxers (2018) and The Miners 1971 (2018), but also notably One Hundred Photographs (1988), for his exhibition at Hamilton’s Gallery, London, and East End (2016), published by Spitalfields Life Books.

John Claridge’s work is held in museums and private collections worldwide, notably the Arts Council of Great Britain, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Museum of Modern Art. He exhibits regularly in London.

He has received numerous awards from many organisations for his work in advertising and design, including the London International Advertising Awards, Cannes International Advertising Festival, Design and Art Direction UK, Association of Photographers UK, The One Show New York, Clio Awards Worldwide USA and Creative Circle Awards.