Last Thursday night marked the opening of ‘Dream & Drive’, an exhibition, at the Hoxton Gallery, of photographs selected from a book of the same name published recently to celebrate the 10th anniversary of insuperably cool duo, Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart, otherwise known as The Kills. The photographs, taken by great friend and longtime collaborator, Kenneth Cappello capture the essence of Alison and Jamie’s at once, creative, caring, endearing, electric and truly unique friendship as well as their behavioural idiosyncrasies, recording their most private, playful, impulsive, intense and intimate moments both on and off stage.
My favourites include a wonderfully whimsical photograph of Alison, her raven hair styled into a deliberately dishevelled mop wearing a black and white striped shirt, eyes perhaps slightly abashedly averted and another of the pair ambling arm in arm along the beach visible only as dark, slender silhouettes separated only by the refracted rays of the setting sun. Other of my favourites include a hysterical shot of Alison and Jamie (holding up his camera) wearing identical zip up jackets photographed in front of Jamie’s sentimental scribble, ‘I lost the best week of my life here thanks to you guys’ . Jamie appears almost childishly gleeful, while Alison laughs manically into the camera.
The same infectious exuberance and sense boundless enthusiasm can be felt in several other of the images exhibited, and yet there are those too which display a far quieter, reflective and even vulnerable side to the duo’s characters. One such portrays Jamie with his head on Alison’s shoulder as she gazes, somewhat guardedly into the camera. Undoubtedly the most exhilarating, electric and ultimately ecstatic shot is of The Kills on stage in a moment of climax , Alison lying prostrate on the floor with Jamie appearing to ram his guitar between her thighs. A fascinating insight into the public and private lives of these two modern rock icons.
On until 2nd October at The Hoxton Gallery, 9 Kingsland Road E2 8AA
The book, ‘Dream & Drive’ is available from http://www.thekills.tv
