Janette Beckman

Photo © Gudrun Georges

BRITISH-BORN PHOTOGRAPHER JANETTE BECKMAN BEGAN HER CAREER IN THE PUNK ROCK ERA WORKING FOR MUSIC MAGAZINES THE FACE AND MELODY MAKER.

She shot bands from The Clash to Boy George as well as three Police album covers.

In 1983 she moved to New York to document the underground hip-hop scene, photographing pioneers Run DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J, Slick Rick and many more.

Her work has been shown in galleries worldwide and is in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Museum of the City of New York and the British National Portrait Gallery.

She has published five books, including ‘Rap Portraits & Lyrics of a Generation of Black Rockers’(1991). “Made in the UK’ (2005), ‘The Breaks Stylin’ & Profilin” (2008) and ‘The MashUp’ (2018) a collaboration with iconic New York graffiti artists reinterpreting her hip hop images. Her monograph covering 40 years of photography “Rebels From Punk To Dior’ was published by Drago in November 2021.

Janette continues to chronicle sub-cultures as well as photographing campaigns for brands like Dior and Levis.

She is represented by the Fahey Klein Gallery.

Photo: Run-DMC DMC & posse : Jam Master Jay, Run, Fludd, Butter Love, Cool Tee, DMC, and Runny Ray, Hollis Queens 1984
Photo: Andre 3000, Outkast, NYC 2003
Photo: Salt n Pepa NYC 1987
Photo: Sade NYC 1983

Instagram: @janettephoto
Website: www.janettebeckman.com