Far Out Magazine announces new ‘Bent Rej Retrospective’
Beginning April 1st, Far Out Magazine will launch our ‘Bent Rej Retrospective’, a two-week exploration of a photographer who carried the swinging music scene of the 1960s across borders and into Scandinavia.
In 1965, Danish photographer Rej found himself in the “right place at the right time”, and a relationship with The Rolling Stones was born. At the time, aged 25 and working for Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet, Rej was assigned to capture the Scandinavian and German stops of The Rolling Stones’ European tour, which was ramping up with hysterical fans after the band’s second LP, The Rolling Stones No. 2, was released and proudly placed at number one in the charts.
Rej’s personality and striking work instantly resulted in the artist becoming close to the band and, more specifically, Brian Jones, who he struck up a tight friendship with during the tour. Having initially been tasked with a job by Ekstra Bladet, Rej quickly became part of the Stones’ entourage and is widely credited as being the person who introduced model Anita Pallenberg – who became the lover and muse of both Brian Jones and Keith Richards – to the band.
While “right place at the right time” might sound flippant, the sentiment rings true. It was the decade of free love, of making friends and flowing through life with artistic desire. Bent Rej, it goes without saying, grasped the opportunity with both hands. From Brian Jones and The Rolling Stones to The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, The Who and countless others, Rej’s role in the expansion of a monumental cultural boom should not be overlooked.
Across the first two weeks of April, Far Out will delve deep into Rej’s work from all spheres, including his musical, travel and pin-up model exploits. From April 1st, follow the Far Out Photography section or the official Bent Rej page for a full run down.
“So much has been written about the rebellious music of the sixties—but nothing captures the freedom, recklessness and sex drugs and rock ’n’ roll as the photography,” the Bent Rej Archive writes. “Rej’s photographs are glimpses of a magical era where music tested its limits, and the new genre of rock was in the throes of its birth.”
Far Out Magazine’s Bent Rej Retrospective launches on April 1st.
