We are proud to reflect on the success of Knave of Diamonds, the debut solo exhibition by portrait and fashion photographer John Spyrou. It was a true delight to welcome so many visitors who came to experience this remarkable body of work in person.

Recently settled into his High Road studio, Spyrou presented a captivating showcase of 25 large-scale photographs spanning three distinct bodies of work. The exhibition was an undeniable triumph, drawing immense crowds that completely filled our main gallery. It was a thrill to see the space so packed and buzzing with energy. For the throngs of attendees who walked through our doors, viewing Spyrou’s subjects in such a bustling environment created a remarkable dynamic.

When Édouard Manet presented The Fifer, the Parisian establishment was suitably outraged, exclaiming that the young musician’s uniform was handled with the simplicity of a fashion sketch with high-key lighting, and so flat that it looked as though it were a “knave of diamonds pasted on a door”. For Spyrou, this historical critique became a guiding philosophy for the exhibition. He took the raw, chaotic energy of the street and compressed it. Through a laborious post-production process, Spyrou forces our three-dimensional world onto a single, flattened plane.

Originally working as a studio photographer in New York, losing his space forced him out onto the pavement. Inspired by Philip-Lorca diCorcia’s iconic Heads series, Spyrou began shooting from a distance, attempting to capture classical, monumentalized portraits of subjects entirely unawares.

"I try and capture an ‘off’ moment where they are self-absorbed in their thoughts, possibly thinking about the most mundane thing that has happened to them that day." Spyrou explains.

Because the authenticity of this introspection vanishes the moment when someone notices the camera, Spyrou relies on capturing just one or two frames. The resulting images push the voyeuristic and ethical boundaries of candid photography while elevating fleeting, often melancholic moments into monumental art.

Knave of Diamonds brought together three bodies of work captured between 2022 and 2025, tracking a distinct evolution in Spyrou’s post-production. In his seminal Port Authority series, Spyrou physically manipulated the ink of a single final print—a technique inspired by Richter. Today, his process has become even more complex. For his ongoing portrait series, Spyrou creates five to ten unique prints for a single image, tinting them with various inks and organic materials. These layers are then compiled, assembled, and flattened to create a final ‘master’ print. Despite the scale of his archive, he approaches each photograph as a standalone piece, working on it until it achieves a perfect, uncanny balance.

Stepping into the main gallery space at Haggerston, visitors were met with 25 large-scale prints. Spyrou intentionally curated the sheer volume of the work to make the viewer feel "crowded in the room with these subjects." Yet, amidst the crowding, there was a deliberate harmony. Spyrou balanced grayscale with vibrant color, seamlessly weaving a strong series of fashion images into a collection of otherwise pure portraiture. By keeping the images atemporal and spatially indeterminate, the subjects seemed to communicate with one another across the gallery walls.

For an artist whose subjects are captured in moments of deep, isolated introspection, Spyrou’s own journey has recently shifted away from isolation. Joining the Sarabande residency programme provided him with a lovely community of artists at similar stages in their careers.

"I have been making my work in isolation for a long time, and joining a wonderful group of social people has really provided positivity and encouragement," he notes. That support, combined with the foundation providing the gallery space and encouraging throughout the preparation and also post-show, which gave the entire experience a familial and comfortable feeling, allowed Spyrou to mount this ambitious exhibition early in his residency. The result is a striking, immersive show that proves the street still has countless secrets to yield—if you know how to look for them.

To stay up to date with Sarabande alumni and our wider community, follow us on Instagram and sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about our events programme and announcements.