Magnum On Set

The London Film Museum brand new exhibition space will open on 21 April 2012, following a major redevelopment of the original Flower Cellars in the heart of Covent Garden.  The inaugural exhibition ‘Magnum on Set’ will be supported by original artefacts from the silver screen, and personal cameras used by the photographers.

The opening exhibition ‘Magnum on Set', is a celebration of cinema hosting some of the greatest photographers of the Twentieth Century from the legendary agency, Magnum Photos.  It is the London Film Museum’s first ever exhibition using their own Apple iPad technology which enables the displays to be viewed in infinitely more detail, multiple languages and intelligent education packages (IEP) – the first attraction with this level of interactivity in the United Kingdom.  ‘Magnum on Set’ will be on display at the London Film Museum between 21 April and 1 September 2012.

The exhibition, which has never before been seen in the UK, hosts 146 of some of the most recognised film images in the world. The collection includes masterpieces such as Charlie Chaplin’s Limelight, Billy Wilder’s The Seven Year Itch, Nicholas Ray’s Rebel Without A Cause, Orson Welles’s The Trial, John Huston’s Moby Dick, Michelangelo Antonioni’s Zabriskie Point, and many more.  Iconic actress Marilyn Monroe joins the prestigious collection in the emotive image of Eve Arnold captured in the Nevada desert whilst going over her lines for a difficult scene she was about to play with Clarke Gable in the film "The Misfits" by John Huston in 1960.  There will also be some exciting original artefacts including Eve Arnold's original Rollieflex, and Inge Morath's Leica, not to mention original props, scripts and costumes. The photographers associated with Magnum have worked with movie-makers since its creation in 1947.  Robert Capa, one of the founding fathers, had many friends in the film business – including Ingrid Bergman, Billy Wilder, and particularly John Huston – which gave him and other Magnum photographers access to the charmed and exclusive world of Hollywood.

This connection to the film world has continued to the present day and widened to include movie-makers, directors and film stars from all over the world.  This exhibition, with its great variety of photographers and movie-stars is a real enchantment for all those who love both photography and the moving image.