Guardian Gallery

Not to be sold separately: The Observer Colour Magazine 1964-1995

29 July - 1 September
Admission free
Open each day 10am - 6pm 

The first issue of The Observer Magazine was published on September 6 1964. Its front cover, a portrait of Lord Mountbatten by John Hedgecoe, became the first colour photograph published by the newspaper. Combining the best of the Observer's own editorial staff and a roster of freelancers, it was designed to compete with the Sunday Times Magazine (launched in 1962) as well as quality illustrated titles such as Life and Paris Match. Its arrival quickly established a strong reputation for The Observer whose new colour pages contributed to a change in the style, content and packaging of Sunday newspapers. The magazine played a pivotal role in the dissemination of photography at a time when most galleries did not show photographs, and few photography books were published.

This exhibition celebrates the donation of the Observer Magazine's original picture library to the Scott Trust Foundation by TopFoto picture agency. It aims to celebrate and re-evaluate the magazine's influence on the history of British newspaper publishing by featuring a number of key spreads/stories that illustrate its particular ethos and editorial values.