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TONY BLAIR – “Reflections on ten years as Prime Minister”
- an insightful, intriguing and revelatory book and exhibition about
the day to day life of one of Britain’s most challenging politicians
WHEN Tony Blair departed Downing Street as Prime Minister on Wednesday June 27th 2007 he had been in office for a decade - a remarkable achievement that will ensure his place in the history books.
During the last six months of his term Mr Blair agreed to allow the internationally acclaimed father and son artist team Jacob and Claude Sutton to document and record in sketches, drawings and photographs the every day role of life as prime minister.
The Suttons were appointed ‘official’ personal artist and cameraman; there to record and document Tony Blair’s activities and his reflections on an intriguing, exciting, exacting and at times turbulent premiership.
They were allowed complete access to Tony Blair, his family, his Downing Street staff and Government ministers.
The ‘project’ has worked extensively behind the scenes to try and show what it's like to have the most powerful political job in Britain: the pressures and the challenges that occur away from the public eye. In some ways it also offers an insight into Tony Blair’s private life and how that influenced his role as both prime minister and family man.
It puts into focus his work at No 10 Downing Street, the Cabinet Office, the ‘Den’, the Houses of Parliament, relaxing at Chequer’s with his family or touring the UK and also puts the spotlight on numerous overseas trips.
Alongside what promises to be insightful and trail-blazing photography, drawings and prints, Tony Blair will reflect on what it has been like to be prime minister during a decade of considerable challenge and change.
And his wife Cherie will describe the pressures of living and bringing up their children in Number 10 while being a full time lawyer and mother - and she will reveal what has surprised her about living in Downing Street.
The photographs and images will be part of what promises to be a fascinating exhibition - supported by Nikon (UK) - that will tour the USA in 2008. Curated by the US based Art Vision. It will be linked to a running commentary by Jake Sutton detailing the moments and times a particular image was recorded.
Victoria-Ann Rehberg, President of ArtVision Exhibitions said: “The combination of photographs, illustrations, and Tony Blair’s own essays will portray a rare, intimate perspective of the inner workings at 10 Downing Street and behind-the-scenes portal to a very public prime minister. ArtVision Exhibitions is proud to give voice to this historic pictorial in the form of a touring exhibition to major museums throughout the United States and abroad, providing a valuable educational podium for generations to come.”
Barbara Faulkner at Nikon (UK) commented: "We are proud to have the opportunity to support Jacob and Claude Sutton’s record of the PM’s last months, from their unique and personal perspective."
To complement the exhibition a lavish celebratory book is to be published in limited editions and popular formats. It will provide a permanent record of the images and the ‘drawing to a close’ of the pivotal political role that Tony Blair enjoyed as prime minister of Britain. These are insightful and fascinating images and perhaps will offer further insight into the personality of a politician that has undoubtedly made his mark on British history.
The book - ‘Tony Blair - Reflections’ - will be published in a special collectors’ edition which will encapsulate the project. This book will be celebration of a very special premiership and a very special relationship that started some twenty years ago between Jacob Sutton, then a Fleet Street photographer, and the young Labour Party member Tony Blair who had ambitions to change the political and social face of the UK.
The book is published in collaboration with the international publishing company Cities500. Vice President Guy Woodland said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to produce a classic photo-essay book to our usual high standards and on this occasion to be able to work with other artists on a book focusing on one of the world’s most high profile leaders.