MARILYN STAFFORD: STREET STORIES: CURATED BY ANSTICE OAKESHOTT

Marilyn Stafford | Street Stories, celebrates the life and work of an extraordinary 20th century photographer who was only discovered in her tenth decade.

Marilyn (1925 – 2023) brought the energy and truth of daily life into her practice which encompassed street photography, fashion, portraiture, and social reportage. With a special focus on her representation of women and children, this exhibition reveals the joy she found sharing the stories of others, often in the context of life on the street.

One of the few women to jostle her way to the front of the industry during a time when photography was undoubtedly a male dominated world, Marilyn had a fresh, approachable and sympathetic eye. After a miraculous break into the industry with a portrait of Albert Einstein, Marilyn found herself circulating in the Paris photography scene under the mentorship of Henri Cartier Bresson who was a lifelong inspiration to her. It was in Paris that she took some of her most renowned images.

This exhibition highlights significant figures who populated her career, Marilyn’s preference of working with natural light and her tendency to turn her camera towards those to whom she felt the deepest connection.

Part of Photo Oxford Festival’s 2023 programme, Marilyn Stafford | Street Stories is curated by Zuleika Gallery's guest photography specialist Anstice Oakeshott.