Bob Carlos Clarke

Bob Carlos Clarke (1950-2006).

Described by Terence Pepper, former Curator of Photographs at the National Portrait Gallery (UK) as "one of the great photographic image-makers of the last few decades".

Often referred to as Britain’s answer to Helmut Newton, Bob Carlos Clarke was born in Cork, Ireland in 1950. His photographic approach is best known for his carefully composed and highly constructed photographs, where glamour and provocation rub shoulders. His visual interests – women and rubber, in particular – sealed his reputation as a photographer of erotic black and white images.

From celebrity portraiture to photojournalism and advertising photography, his work covers almost every sphere of photography, often pushing the boundaries of art and acceptability.

Bob Carlos Clarke produced six books: The Illustrated Delta of Venus (1979), Obsession (1981), The Dark Summer (1985), White Heat (1990), Shooting Sex (2002), and Love Dolls Never Die (2004). A 25th anniversary edition of White Heat (Octopus) was published in 2015. Since his death the Estate of Bob Carlos Clarke has published two books: The Agony and The Ecstasy (Jane & Jeremy, 2018), and STUDIO (The Little Black Gallery, 2020). A biography Exposure: The Unusual Life and Violent Death of Bob Carlos Clarke by Sunday Times bestselling author Simon Garfield was published by Ebury Press in 2009.

Bob's works are highly collectible and have been acquired by national art galleries including the National Portrait Gallery (UK), National Media Museum for the National Photography Collection (UK), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum (USA), and Crawford Art Gallery (Ireland); as well as private collections including the Michael Wilson Centre of Photography and the Elton John Photography Collection.

During his lifetime he worked with Hamiltons Gallery in London. In 2004 Eyestorm presented 'Love Dolls Never Die' - his first series of works printed as giclee prints. Since his death his Estate has been managed by The Little Black Gallery. The most recent exhibitions were in 2023 at Saint Laurent in Paris and Los Angeles, curated by Anthony Vaccarello.