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Carinthia West

Battersea Power Station and Pink Floyd

In 1976, The Pink Floyd hired the innovative Hipgnosis team, Aubrey Powell and Storm Thorgerson, to shoot the ‘Animals’ album cover at Battersea Power Station in London. They organised a giant blow-up pig which was attached to ropes and supposed to float above the Power Station for three consecutive days, but unfortunately on the second day, the pig slipped its moorings. The Floyd had hired an ex-police marksman to shoot it down in such circumstances, but he hadn’t turned up that day. Jumbo jet pilots, flying into London that morning, told their passengers, “on the right of the plane you will see the Houses of Parliament and on the left... a flying pig!”. No one could believe their eyes. Ultimately, chased by police and press, the pig deflated ignominiously in a field in Kent. I shot thirty-six frames in an attempt to tell its story...

About Carinthia
Carinthia West is a photographer and journalist, whose credits include Marie-Claire, Harper's and Queen, Harper's Bazaar, Tatler, the LA Weekly, The Independent, The Telegraph, Saga and US magazines, covering travel, lifestyle, humour and (her least favourite subject!) the celebrity interview.... she has grown up in the presence of, and been friends with, some of the 20th century's greatest names from music, film and society.  Anjelica Huston, Mick Jagger, George Harrison, Ronnie Wood, Robin Williams, Paul Getty Jnr, Neil Young, Helen Mirren, David Bowie, Paul Simon, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, James Taylor, King Hussein and Queen Noor of Jordan, are just a few of those she photographed at both casual, private, intimate and poignant moments in their lives.
As a model and actress, she was photographed by the likes of David Bailey, Patrick Lichfield, and Mario Testino, appearing in everything from award-winning fashion editorials to album covers.  She also appeared in various films, including the BBC’s Crime and Punishment with John Hurt, John Cassavette’s Husbands and the classic Beatles parody, The Rutles, All You Need is Cash, starring George Harrison, Mick & Bianca Jagger, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, John Belushi and other Saturday Night Live cast members.
The Pink Floyd Pig collection for their Animals shoot were taken in 1976. They have appeared in several exhibitions including the prestigious Julia Margaret Cameron Dimbola Museum of Photography in the Isle of Wight,  London’s Library Space, KM Gallery in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Art Exchange, along with forty other images in her archival collection entitled 'Hanging Out'. 'Hanging Out' (aka 'An Affectionate Archive' ) is soon to be the subject of both a book and documentary.
Read the full biography