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During the eighties, the artist studied at the Royal College of Art together with artist Keith Piper, then organizing a showcase of Black photographic art. “He invited me to contribute a piece,” says the veteran photographer.

Although Piper appreciated her work into colonial themes, racial issues, identity, and aesthetics, the curators rejected her submission on the grounds it did not seem “representative enough.” “You have to understand the atmosphere of that time,” she states. At the time, I was photographing botanical subjects. For me, you have the right to create any work they choose. By shutting down what can and cannot be, they start to censor oneself.”

Understanding the capabilities of the photographic medium has remained central to Gregory’s work. Her journey started with self-representation and trial and error. The 1990s work Autoportrait—a set of nine black-and-white self-portraits—is one of her best-known creations.

Gregory’s body of work spans still-life, portraiture, film, and fabric art, addressing themes like selfhood, cultural memory, and linguistic traditions. More than 250 pieces are set to be shown at her retrospective named Catching Flies With Honey in the prestigious gallery from October.

One particularly significant recent piece required two decades to complete. This new commission examines research I have been doing from 2003 on endangered languages,” Gregory says. “I’ve collaborated with a single community and families for more than 20 years. A lot of the people who participated have died, so it was important to create an object to present them.”

Hailing in England in the late 1950s to a Caribbean family, she was creative early on. Gregory drew, made clothes, and devoured voraciously. My family lived close to a bindery, so when books were discarded, I salvaged them,” she said. Her initial photographic tool was a significant gift from her relatives.

Her aspirations have always been simple: The aim was simply to make meaningful work.” She prizes innovation and manual craftsmanship over flawless tech. In digital photography, everything is perfect. Yet I’m interested in the concept of manual process—each print being unique and impossible to duplicate.”

Highlighted Pieces from the Exhibition

Memory & Skin, 1998
“This was the first major commission I received,” notes the artist. The work explored the dynamic between Europe and the Caribbean. Growing up in a Jamaican household in Europe, you become bilingual, bicultural. This piece was about bridging the two.”

The Fairest, 1999
Gregory became interested in the reasons people would want to become blonde,” she comments. “I chose individuals from both European and diverse backgrounds to talk about their experiences.”

The Blonde, 1997–2010
“In 1998, we saw suddenly a lot of non-European people sporting blond hair,” she explains. “They were challenging notions of self-expression and beauty. Some furious reactions in online forums, yet it was fascinating to witness them playing with personal identity.”

The Handbag Project, 1998–present
The purses are brought to London from abroad,” says the artist. She wanted to do something tactile, via alternative photographic methods. Every print became a surprise.”

Language of Flowers, 1992–2004
“The choice of historical process felt appropriate because it is a Victorian technique,” she says. “It echoes botanical traditions and the our quest for endurance within a ephemeral world.”

The exhibition will be on view from Whitechapel Gallery from 8 October to 1 March.