28 March 2013

As part of the Photography at Quaglino’s series the famous London restaurant is currently exhibiting A Few Portraits, a selection of the many images of iconic individuals taken over a number of years by AOP photographer member Jillian Edelstein. Since 1929, Quaglino’s has played host to royalty, rock stars and high society and Edelstein’s exhibition reflects the calibre of guests it has welcomed through its doors. 

London-based photographer Edelstein was born and grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. Her portraits have appeared in publications including The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair and Vogue. She has worked on campaigns for Comic Relief, The Dogs Trust, The National Theatre, EMI, UNICEF, Save The Children Fund, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Sony and Tesco and has exhibited in The National Portrait Gallery, The Photographers' Gallery, The Royal Academy New Art Space, Recontres d'Arles, the Bensusan Museum, Johannesburg, Robben Island Museum, Cape Town, and the Dali International Photography Festival, Yunnan Province, China. Her many awards include: Kodak UK Young Photographer of the Year 1986, Photographers' Gallery Portrait Photographer of the Year Award 1990, Visa d’Or at Perpignan 1997, the European Final Art Polaroid Award 1999 and the John Kobal Book Award in 2003.

Between 1996 and 2002 Jillian returned to South Africa frequently to document the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Her award-winning book Truth and Lies, shot in large format was published by Granta in 2002. Her body of work The Producers of the Olympics for The Road to 2012, commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, was exhibited by the gallery during last year's Olympics.

A Few Portraits which opened last night, 27 March, is at Quaglino's until May.