Born in Scarborough, England, Derrick Santini has made global waves in the art world through his critically acclaimed photography. With work exhibited worldwide and even acquired by the National Portrait Gallery, he is a humanist photographer — celebrating the individual in each of his subjects.

His new exhibition, titled #MadeBritainGreat, plays on the idea of “Made in Great Britain”. Honouring people who have contributed to the country’s progression and culture, it showcases portraits spanning over 30 years — including the likes of Idris Elba and Lily Allen. In doing so, it personifies the rich intercultural history of Britain. An emotional and breathtaking curation, it will soon be followed by a book launch and national tour.

“As a humanist photographer, it is the people, in all their wondrous guises, that inform and inspire my work and worldview,” he explains. “I celebrate the individual; their spirit, vigour and vision that make them uniquely talented. I feel Britain nourishes and fosters this spirit.”

We had the pleasure of hearing from Santini about the exhibition.

#MadeBritainGreat is open now at JG Contemporary gallery.

See some images…

Read the interview…

Congratulations on the exhibition! How does it feel to finally present this project to the public?
Its amazing, been a few years to get it launched and in the public domain, its an evolving body of work that celebrates and underpins the philosophy behind #MadeBritainGreat.

Could you share some early memories or influences that ignited your interest in photography and art? What initially drew you to this medium?
My mum… My mum had an old Agfa bellows camera that she took incredibly beautiful family photos with, now she made no airs about her skills as a photographer but her pictures were taken with dexterity and indeed skill as it was all very manual and she had to use a light meter as well. They were printed in small squares with frilly white boarders and stuck delicately with photo corners in very grand photo albums with thick black pages all dated with notations throughout. One day when I was about 13 I picked up the camera and just started taking pictures with it and never looked back.

Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the #MadeBritainGreat exhibition and what motivated you to curate and photograph this collection?
#MadeBritainGreat came into being in 2015, when I started posting the series on Instagram as the best way to build the collection and seed it out there. I was amazed that no one was really using that # and to my surprise the .com was also available so I purchased the domain name MadeBritainGreat,com. The very simple basic premise in a nut shell is that for example Idris Elba or Lee McQueen made Britain great. I have been very fortunate to collaborate with so many amazingly talented and incredible people, and really connect in a profound and spiritual way in the exchange of me taking their portrait. Portraiture is at the very heart of all my work, I see everything I shoot as a portrait, my life’s work is the study of people and the human condition through the lens of a camera. Now is the time to communicate all these experiences and connect the years of practice with the theory, which up till now has stayed on my desktop.

How did you select the individuals featured in the exhibition, and what criteria did you use to define their contributions to British culture?
Making the selects for this inaugural show was a very hard edit as we are only showing 25 photographs from a series to date of well over a 100 subjects, who all fulfil the criteria of this body of work. In all the cases the individual has made a name for themselves in the UK. Through blood sweat and tears their raw talent, dedication and conviction has propelled them to the heights of their chosen medium. Like diamonds they shine bright light unto the world, these are great artists and beautiful people that have made the British culture so rich and unifying through their individual spirit and uniqueness.

The exhibition spans over 30 years. Could you share some insights into the evolution of your photography style and approach throughout this period?
I think my style has stayed the same and indeed my approach too, what has evolved is the confrontational aspect to my photography especially portraiture. At the start I was more timid I would say, notably in the studio environment, the chemistry was the same but the interaction and engagement with the sitter evolved. The camera is indeed a mask or foil, and in my early years I revelled in this much more voyeuristic approach to photography and my subjects were not always parley to my true intentions, but this was primarily street photography, which was my first love and the street my first studio. I do in latter years refer to these moments as stolen moments, or moments in between and it is this grey area of life that fascinates and propels my constant engagement with it.

How do you perceive your personal evolution during this time? What have you learned the most from this project?
Well this time is 35 odd years to date, so its as long as I have been a professional photographer, and taking portraits, this body of work is a life’s work and I will keep compiling it until I physically cant. I have been humbled and nourished from all the incredible people I have photographed and they are all real, as I am and it is this reality that opens the doors to symbiotically create. Its just like musicians that are all jamming together, in the zone, that’s when Great art is born, or in this instance a great or iconic portrait is created because there is a truth and honesty that is portrayed of the subject, only when a portrait speaks to the sitter will it speak to the world.

Could you elaborate on the emotional resonance you aimed to create for visitors through these portraits? What emotions or stories do you hope they will take away from the exhibition?
Openness and being straight up is the only way, in life or in a photo shoot, from this place of trust there is a universal truth that transpires and radiates out from the work, an enigma that draws you in and silences the noise for those brief moments when you step out of the room as you are submerged in its gaze. I want these portraits to arrest the casual and ardent viewer, make them connect with the person in the frame, so to dwell with them and share the experience and the memory that is created from that moment. I have often thought of my work / self as a collector of memories and believe that photography was put on this earth just to prove that we existed in the most efficient way possible, that’s why we all have smart phones. Ultimately we are all photographers now, which fills me with such joy as we are all speaking the same language, my language. The language of photography is all about us and change, our uniqueness and our connectedness is all experienced through the prism of photography.

In your opinion, what makes British people so unique?
I feel Britain fosters, nurtures a certain independence and free will that fuels the creative mind and spiritual soul, there is also a prevailing attitude of getting on with it and make your way in life. England has a rich and chequered history, explaining our diverse and inclusive culture, but its history does not impede or shadow us as I feel it does in many European countries like Italy and France for example. England is a small island that in of its self is a cry for independence and this is distilled into the very fabric of all its citizens, something we are extremely fortunate to be provided with, and through the ages has given fortitude and vigour to excel in free thinking and unique practice. Another big factor that evolves creativity and thought is the long dark cold winters we have, providing the perfect conditions for artists, in its broadest sense to work and progress. All these factors combine to create a driven individual of rounded character and grounded vision.

What aspect of the exhibition excites you the most?
It’s been a long time coming to finally exhibit my portrait photography and present this body of work to the public and importantly to engage in its creative and cultural context. The intention for this show was always a National touring exhibition and accompanied book, I want it to be experienced up and down the land to inspire and nurture all interested parties, be it in photography, celebrity or culture.

Looking forward, are there any other new projects in the pipeline that you could share with us? What are you most excited about in 2024?
Rolling out the touring show and publishing the book of #MadeBritainGreat is a very exciting prospect for 2024. My big plan for 2024 is to set up my own School of Photography, something I have been channelling for a few years and soon will become a reality, its definitely time for me to give back and I am so ready for it.

Head to the gallery website for more information.