The London Film Academy Presents A Celebration Of The King By Campbell Mitchell

If Elvis were alive today he would be about to celebrate his 79th birthday. Thirty six years after his death, VIVA celebrates the glitz and glamour of the UK Elvis Tribute Artists and the staggering impact that Elvis Presley continues to have upon us.

Photographer Campbell Mitchell launches VIVA, his first solo photographic exhibition in London, at the Rich Mix Arts Centre on December 5th, celebrating both the glitz and glamour of the UK Elvis Tribute Artists and the staggering impact that Elvis Presley continues to have upon us, thirty six years after his death.

Presented by London’s leading film school, the London Film Academy, with whom Campbell has a long-standing relationship, VIVA showcases the devotion and obsession of Elvis fans and their musical tribalism that has become a religion. The photographs detail the mania of fans at the Elvis Tribute events and, exclusively reveal homes of some of the most obsessive fans in the country – people who have turned their entire houses into shrines to their idol.

Campbell spent many nights documenting various Elvis Tribute Acts – attending the Elvis Four Nations competition and following one of the biggest ETAs - the consummate former World Champion Elvis Tribute Act, Mr. Johnny Lee Memphis. The resulting images are of performers in full flight, in custom-made costumes – channelling the power and pomp of one of the twentieth century’s most electrifying and charismatic stage performers. It was during these concerts that the focus of VIVA began to shift has Campbell spent more and more time with the fans.

The final piece of VIVA focuses on the vast merchandising industry that keeps Elvis near the top of the show business earnings list decades after his death. This stream of novelty items and memorabilia is bought by obsessive fans, desperate to get close to the object of their devotion. The photographs show a distorted and nakedly commercial side to the King’s legacy.

Further information can be found here and here.

Viva runs from 6th- 29th December at the RichMix Gallery, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

Campbell Mitchell
Campbell’s eye has long been drawn to the quirky, the strange and the obsessive. Previous exhibitions have seen images of run-down English seaside towns printed on beach bags, the chronicling of a single view of a Glasgow park from dawn to dusk, and a two and a half year hunt for members of the public wearing numbers on T-shirts from 1 to 100, finishing in an installation of the resulting 100 photographs in a large 10x10 grid.

He has a first class honours degree in photography from the University of the West of Scotland and won the Court Medal for his final two years as well as the Schools of Creative Industries Prize for best creative project.

Campbell regularly works as Standby Props person with filmmakers, Stephen Frears and Ken Loach to name a few.

Campbell’s relationship with the LFA has existed since its creation. He has worked closely with co-founders Anna Macdonald and Daisy Gili, organising student visits to films sets he has worked on, from “Finding Neverland” to the currently in-production Stephen Frears Lance Armstrong biopic. He has provided stills for all of Daisy and Anna’s private film projects, including the iTunes number one, “The Summer House”, featuring Robert Pattinson.

LONDON FILM ACADEMY
The London Film Academy, the UK’s most unique and innovative film school, generating graduates who make up the life-blood of the British Film Industry, celebrates its 10th anniversary in the business.

The LFA is at the top of its game and is Britain’s only female-run film school, operating as a not-for-profit trust. Small, personable and passionate about film, the school and its studios, screening rooms, edit suites and lecture theatres are based in a quirky and creative environment in a Fulham converted chapel.

The remarkably diverse student body have had more than their fair share of success stories ranging from screening their work at the Cannes Film Festival to being BAFTA nominated and graduates regularly go on to work in high positions within the film industry.

Founded and run by co-principals Anna Macdonald and Daisy Gili, filmmakers in their own right, they recently set up their own production company, LFA Productions.