Roger Mayne, photographer : press cutting volumes

Scope and Content

Press cutting volumes (1951-1989) containing work by Roger Mayne.

Administrative / Biographical History

Roger Mayne (1929-2014) studied Chemistry at Oxford, where he became interested in the photographic process and began taking photographs. Mayne was mentored by Hugo van Wadenoyen and moved to London, where he photographed street markets and slum streets. Mayne's work was first published in Picture Post and his first exhibition was in 1956. He became known for his photographs of children and social realism. In the late 1950s Mayne began working as a photojournalist, taking images for Vogue, Queen, The Observer and Peace News and writing a number of articles for Amateur Photographer. In 1961 his work 'Portrait of Southam Street' was published in Uppercase 5. Other notable works include his coloured photographs commissioned for 'The British at Leisure' for the British Pavilion at the Milan Trienniale in 1964, which were projected on five screens and accompanied by a jazz score.

Throughout his career Mayne took photographs across Europe, including Dubrovnik, Rhodes and Corfu. In the 1980s Mayne took up drawing and painting. Later in life photographic inspiration came from Iceland, Egypt, Spain, and from his family. During his career he gained the South West Arts Major Award, enabling him to take photographs in north west Scotland in 1983, as well as the Lucie award in 2006. During Mayne's lifetime his work was exhibited at Tate St Ives, Tate Britain and Tate Liverpool as well as being included in the Tate Britain's 'How We Are: Photographing Britain'.

Access Information

This archive collection is available for consultation in the V&A Study Rooms by appointment only. Full details of access arrangements may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/.

Access to some of the material may be restricted. These are noted in the catalogue where relevant.

Acquisition Information

Given by Roger Mayne, 2010

Conditions Governing Use

Information on copying and commercial reproduction may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/.