Photographer Barry Eaglestone: Colour “makes you stop and look”

Barry Eaglestone used to photograph the world on film. In the early 1990s, camera in hand, he traversed the ancient Silk Road, capturing the vibrant tapestry of life across Syria, Jordan, Ethiopia, and Tibet. But somewhere along those winding paths, a strange realisation set in: he was so consumed by searching for the perfect frame that he had stopped truly experiencing the places he visited.

So, he did the unthinkable. He sold his camera and walked away.

For fifteen years, Barry lived without a lens between himself and the world. No searching for light, no framing compositions—just living in the moment. It was only years later, through the humble lens of a smartphone camera, that the dormant spark flickered back to life. A snapshot here, a pocket camera there, until 2019, when he finally held a proper camera in his hands once more.

When Barry returned to photography, he didn’t return to the same mindset. He no longer searched for technical perfection; instead, he was drawn to something far more fundamental: the extraordinary, uplifting power of colour.

Now, after four years of quietly noticing the world again, Barry is stepping back into the light with his new London exhibition, ‘Colour is a Joyful Thing’.

Curated by Lydia Wallace, the two-part show opens this September at The Ice House Gallery in London’s Holland Park. Inspired by David Hockney’s simple truth that colour brings joy, the exhibition acts as a vibrant antidote to the grey concrete and glass of modern city life.

The first part of the collection strips photography down to colour’s emotional core, exploring how a sudden splash of vivid red energises, how soft blue calms, or how intense yellow instantly lifts the spirits. The second part captures everyday magic hidden in plain sight such as a simple washing line illuminated by a Venetian sunset, or brightly painted boats catching the light in Burano.

For Barry, the journey back to photography wasn’t about catching up on lost time. It was about learning how to see again, and to stop, look, and let the colour in.

“Colour can transform something completely ordinary into something that makes you stop and look.” — Barry Eaglestone

Exhibition Details & Location

• Headline: Visit the Exhibition
• Dates: September 5–13, 2026 | Open Daily 11 AM – 6 PM
• Location: The Ice House Gallery, Holland Park, London W8 6LU (Between The Design Museum & Kyoto Gardens)
• Curator: Lydia Wallace
• Prints: Limited editions of 10, fine art archival museum-quality prints available.