blitz:wwii in london

BLITZ WWII IN LONDON “The glare of many fires and sweeping clouds of smoke kept hiding the shape. Then a wind sprang up. Suddenly, the shining cross, dome and towers stood out like a symbol in the inferno. The scene was unbelievable. In that moment or two, I released my shutter.” Herbert Mason on his iconic 1940 photograph of St Paul’s Cathedral. In this exhibition of vintage photographs from the 1940s, Londoners salvage their possessions from the rubble of their homes and take refuge in the city’s underground stations. Walls crumble, buildings open like dollhouses, and families go about their errands wearing gas masks. Many of these photographs were used for press purposes and are unique historic documents as well as important works of art. The Blitz lasted from 7 September 1940 to 21 May 1941. In this time, Germany attacked London 71 times, rendering more than 1.4 million people homeless. The main air offensive against British cities diminished after May 1941, but sporadic and lethal raids continued for several more years, with the V-1 and V-2 rockets deployed between 1944 and 1945 killing nearly 9,000 civilians. Although evidence of WWII persists in this historic city, the majority of bomb sites remain unmarked and unremembered, and it is difficult to imagine what it must have been like to experience such destruction. As the number of people who remember the Blitz dwindles, we hope to reignite awareness of this significant time in London’s history. Daniel Blau 51 Hoxton Square London N1 6PB tel +44 (0)207 831 7998 Galerie Daniel Blau Odeonsplatz 12 80539 München Germany tel +49 (0)89 29 73 42 www.danielblau.com Opening: May 30, 2013, 6 - 8 pm Exhibition: May 31 - June 29 Tuesday - Saturday, 11 - 6 pm For further information about our exhibition email: [email protected] Left: Herbert Mason “St. Paul’s During the Blitz” December, 1940 vintage silver gelatin print on glossy fibre paper 20,3 x 25,8 cm

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Information about an exhibition in Hoxton

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BLITZWWII IN LONDON

“The glare of many fires and sweeping clouds of smoke kept hiding the shape.

Then a wind sprang up. Suddenly, the shining cross, dome and towers stood out like a symbol

in the inferno. The scene was unbelievable. In that moment or two, I released my shutter.”

Herbert Mason on his iconic 1940 photograph of St Paul’s Cathedral.

In this exhibition of vintage photographs from the 1940s, Londoners salvage their

possessions from the rubble of their homes and take refuge in the city’s underground

stations. Walls crumble, buildings open like dollhouses, and families go about their

errands wearing gas masks. Many of these photographs were used for press purposes

and are unique historic documents as well as important works of art.

The Blitz lasted from 7 September 1940 to 21 May 1941. In this time, Germany

attacked London 71 times, rendering more than 1.4 million people homeless. The main

air offensive against British cities diminished after May 1941, but sporadic and lethal raids

continued for several more years, with the V-1 and V-2 rockets deployed between 1944

and 1945 killing nearly 9,000 civilians.

Although evidence of WWII persists in this historic city, the majority of bomb sites

remain unmarked and unremembered, and it is difficult to imagine what it must have

been like to experience such destruction. As the number of people who remember the

Blitz dwindles, we hope to reignite awareness of this significant time in London’s history.

Daniel Blau 51 Hoxton SquareLondonN1 6PBtel +44 (0)207 831 7998

Galerie Daniel BlauOdeonsplatz 12 80539 München Germanytel +49 (0)89 29 73 42

www.danielblau.com

Opening: May 30, 2013, 6 - 8 pm

Exhibition: May 31 - June 29

Tuesday - Saturday, 11 - 6 pm

For further information about our exhibition email:

[email protected]

Left:Herbert Mason“St. Paul’s During the Blitz”December, 1940 vintage silver gelatin print on glossy fibre paper 20,3 x 25,8 cm

Keystone Photo“Kiddies Have ‘Gas Lessons’”June 27, 1941silver gelatin print on glossy fibre paper, printed 194118,9 (20,2) x 24 (25,4) cm

Wide World Photo“Nazi Bombs Hit Hospital” January 29, 1941silver gelatin print on glossy fibre paper, printed by April 3, 194116,1 (18,1) x 21,3 x (23,9) cm