Soo Catwoman and friend at Generation X gig December 1976 by Jill Furmanovsky © Jill Furmanovsky Archive

Jill Furmanovsky – Rebels and Renegades at Tolbooth, Stirling is part of the Stirling Photography Festival.

Jill Furmanovsky’s first portrait assignment was in 1974, photographing a young Stevie Wonder for the Melody Maker when one of their regulars was ill.  She soon began working with other music publications including Sounds, NME and Record Mirror documenting the shifting tides of music in the form of punk, new wave, ska and reggae with bands such as The Clash, Bob Marley, Generation X, The Ramones, The Police, Madness, Blondie, The Runaways, Joy Division and many more whose images are in the exhibition along with some classic shots of The Slits, and Sid and Nancy in the dressing room at a Ramones concert.

With the launch of The Face and the changing nature of press shots for the industry, the 1980s saw Jill acquiring a studio and a new set of skills, photographing the stars of the new wave such as Boy George, The Beat, Soft Cell, Adam and The Ants, Wham!, Japan, Fine Young Cannibals, Spandau Ballet, emerging female stars such as Joan Armatrading, Kate Bush, Grace Jones, Bjork and Amy Winehouse, alongside established acts like Annie Lennox, Siouxsie (of the Banshees) and Patti Smith. Also included are those seminal influences on the era – Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Iggy Pop and James Brown.

Jill’s work has led to long-term working relationships with the likes of Chrissie Hynde / The Pretenders and Oasis both of whom she directed videos for in the 1990s.

Curated by Rock Archive in association with Street Level Photoworks, the exhibition is part of the Season of Photography 2026, a celebration of photography in Scotland running from 1st September – 20th December 2026.

To find out more please go to the direct link.