The MEP presents Music + Life, the photographic and personal work of Dennis Morris, in his first French retrospective from Feb 5 – May 18, 2025. Curators Laurie Hurwitz and Simon Baker organized this exhibition with the Photographers’ Gallery in London. Dennis Morris contributed pivotal images in pop culture by developing relationships with key figures in music, art, and culture.
The exhibition takes up two levels of the MEP and follows Morris’s archives, which are revealing for the first time. The overview shares the journey of a teenager putting his pain and creativity into a camera. Morris started taking photographs around his community, showing his struggles and joy in the world where he grew up.
Jamaican-born and British-raised, he was among the first to photograph Bob Marley during his international success. Post-war London, Morris focused on the street life of his
affected surroundings. Only a teenager at the time, Marley asked him to document his story because his work showcased his passion for his community and dealing with racism and discrimination. Morris’s work garnered the attention of the rock band Sex Pistols; he quickly went on tour to capture their essence.
The exhibition on Floor +2 presents to audiences three series Morris caught as a teenager before his life transformed when he met Bob Marley. The series focuses on sectors like Growing Up Black, Southall, This Happy Breed, Rebel With A Cause, and Reggae Rebels.
Growing Up Black features life growing up in East London in the 70s. Highlighting racism and poverty Black British faced but also challenged with “pride and dignity in the community.”
Southall paints the journey of the Sikh community. The essence of the community came from their wedding gatherings, children playing, or work life in the immigrant community.
Rebel With A Cause highlights Morris’s career and friendship with Bob Marley, starting as a music photographer. His work on Marley revealed the man behind the monumental image of the singer.
Floor 3+ shows his career with the Sex Pistols and his work as an art director, including his design for Metal Box. Rebel Rock begins with his relationship with John Lydon, who was a Reggae fan and sought out Morris for the Sex Pistols. The portraits highlight times in England during the 70s: high unemployment, punk not accepted, and the rise of the Sex Pistols. Other series showcased are A Bitta PiL and Icons.
Morris not only captured moments in music that transformed the way we view artists, but he also transformed his artistry by diving into music himself. His body of work gives this exhibit a look into his perspective through his lens.
