Renowned British photographer Kevin Cummins will be one of the featured guests at BRIT UNDER FEST, where he will deliver a special talk, present a selection of his iconic images, and take part in public meet-and-greets. His participation brings a unique dimension to the festival: a visual testimony that connects the history of British music with new generations through the evocative power of photography.
Originally from Manchester, Cummins is a key figure in shaping the visual memory of UK music. He began his career in the late 1970s, during the explosion of punk and post-punk, and has since captured some of the most influential names in the music world: Joy Division, The Smiths, Oasis, David Bowie and many more have passed through his lens, which captured not just their likeness, but the spirit of an era.
For over a decade, he was the lead photographer at NME magazine, where he defined the visual aesthetic of an entire generation. His style — intimate, emotional, and narrative — transformed music photography into an art form with its own identity, moving away from promotional clichés to explore the authenticity of the artist and their environment.
Today, Cummins remains an active and relevant voice. His exhibitions tour cities around the world, and his books — such as Manchester: Looking for the Light through the Pouring Rain and While We Were Getting High — are regarded as cultural archives that document the evolution of British music through a deeply personal and irreplaceable lens.
His presence at BRIT UNDER FEST is not only a tribute to his legacy, but also an opportunity to reflect on the role of the image in constructing musical identities. Through his work and his words, the audience will get a glimpse behind the scenes of history, where photographs are not just documents, but fragments of collective memory still alive in the cultural imagination.