Jill Kennington
Jill Kennington (born 2 January 1943)[1] is a British fashion model and photographer. She is best known for her appearance in Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 film Blow-Up.[2]
Early life
Jill Kennington was born in the village of Riby, Lincolnshire on 2 January 1943.[3] She grew up on a farm there, with two sisters and a brother.[3] She was educated at a boarding school in the Lake District, and a finishing school in Sussex.[3]
Career
At the age of 18, Kennington started at Michael Whittaker's small "school" for aspiring models and after only two days, met Norman Hartnell who was about to do a major UK tour; he declared, "Darling, you are going to be my mascot".[4] She toured as one of Hartnell's models for about a month's time.[4]
Kennington met photographer John Cowan in February 1962 and it was through her work with Cowan that she made her name as a model in the 1960s.[5] Cowan injected action and dynamism into his shoots that had previously been lacking in fashion photography. Work from that period is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum,[6] while work with other photographers, including Norman Parkinson and Lord Lichfield is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery.[1] She was twice on the front cover of Vogue. Kennington has also worked with the photographers David Bailey, Terence Donovan, Brian Duffy, Helmut Newton, Jeanloup Sieff, Richard Avedon, William Klein, and Bob Richardson.[7]
Kennington discussed her transition from model to photographer in an interview with Vogue in 2013.[8] She continues to work as a model and is represented by TESS Management.[9]
Personal life
Kennington's second husband is Richard Courtauld, with whom she has two children.[3]
References
- ^ a b "Jill Kennington (1943–), Fashion model and photographer". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ^ Photos: Antonioni's Blow-Up and Swinging 1960s London. Vanity Fair, 15 April 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ a b c d Jill Kennington. Marshwood Vale Magazine, 1 October 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ a b Photos: Models, Photographers, and Swinging-60s London: How Blow Up Was Made, Vanity Fair, accessdate: 4 September 2014
- ^ oxforddnb.com: Oxford DNB article: Cowan, John Anthony, accessdate: 28/08/2014
- ^ Jill Kennington, March 1964. Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ About, Jill Kennington. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ From Model To Photographer: Jill Kennington Exhibits. Sarah Karmali, Vogue, 2 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ Jill Kennington. Archived 2014-09-03 at the Wayback Machine TESS Management. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
