Diary
Three Questions for… Don McCullin
In the latest installment of Three Questions for—in which we cross-examine some of our favorite cultural figures—we meet with photographer Don McCullin at this year’s Ursula Weekender at the Fife Arms in Braemar, Scotland. He shares a painting he would take home, a book that captures the futility of war and his thoughts on music—and silence—in the darkroom.
If you could smuggle any work of art home from a museum, what would it be?
A painting in the National Gallery by Paul Delaroche, The Execution of Lady Jane Grey. It’s a strange subject for me to choose, since I have a bit of a reputation for being around death and destruction in wars. But I’m pushing that aside.
When you look into the painting, there’s something going on everywhere, but it’s done with such dignity. You can see his mastery of draftsmanship and color. It’s very theatrical, like looking at somebody onstage. I found it very moving. This painting is so beautiful and so dignified, I think I can be excused for choosing it.
What book is on your nightstand?
I’ve recently read Good-Bye to All That by Robert Graves. Because I’ve been involved in wars for sixty years, I really understood it. It sums up the futility of war.
I remember reading about him feeling this enormous punch in the back—a bullet striking him. I’ve never actually been hit with a bullet, but I’ve been hit with a shell. That book makes you think, “My God, why do we have such things as wars? They’re totally unnecessary. Can’t they be resolved by conversation, by understanding?” No. The answer is no.
If you could only bring one album to a desert island, what would it be?
It’s a very hard question, because there are so many pieces of music I love. I absolutely love classical music. I’m very fond of Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.
Many years ago, when I worked in my darkroom, I played classical music. I felt it enhanced my attempt to make special prints. Later in life, I found I was listening to the music and not focusing on my prints, so I gave up.
For the last ten or fifteen years, I’ve been working in that darkroom in total silence. Silence is a gift, in a way, that you can harness. You can use your mind to bring all kinds of creative spirit and thoughtfulness to your work.
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Sir Don McCullin CBE is a photojournalist internationally acclaimed for documenting conflicts and humanitarian crises of his time, as well as contemplative subjects such as still lifes, landscapes and archaeology. McCullin combines raw compassion with a refined artistic sensibility, capturing the world’s harshest realities and its profound beauty.