Bob Gruen

Bob Gruen is an American photographer recognized for capturing the Rock and Roll scene in the 1970’s. His work is informed by his strong personal relationships with artists including Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Elvis, Madonna, Yoko Ono, and John Lennon. As the chief photographer for Rock Scene Magazine, he also worked closely with The Rolling Stones, The Ramones, and Sex Pistols. His photographs possess a candid, behind-the-scenes quality, diametrically opposed to polished, professional headshots. They aim to humanize celebrities by offering a glimpse into their private lives and personal relationships.

Shortly after John Lennon moved to New York, Bob became John and Yoko’s personal photographer and friend. In 1974, Gruen created the two iconic images of John Lennon holding up a peace sign while wearing a New York City shirt in front of the Statue of Liberty. Bob’s book, “John Lennon, the New York Years,” was published in the fall of 2005. Publisher’s Weekly stated, “Gruen is THE world’s best rock and roll photographer! From the legendary shot of Lennon on a rooftop clad in the now iconic New York t-shirt to a heart-wrenching shot of a young Sean Lennon curled up in Yoko’s bed not long after John’s murder, both Lennon’s and Gruen’s geniuses are exhibited here.”

His work has been exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in London, as well as both the Brooklyn Museum and MoMA – Museum of Modern Art in New York.