Pictures of the notorious Kray twins and their native London East End go on display in a pop-up exhibition in the British capital on 28 August. The exhibition, organised by French film production company and distributor StudioCanal, comes ahead of the release of a film about the gangsters.
The feared Ronnie and Reggie Kray brothers, who died in 1995 and 2000 respectively, built up a crime empire in the 1950s and 1960s. Murder convictions sent them to jail for life in 1969, but to this day they hold near-mythic status in Britain.
Legend of the East End displays photographs of the twins and the area and suits worn by Ronnie Kray. It also includes props from the upcoming film Legend in which Mad Max: Fury Road actor Tom Hardy stars as both of the Kray brothers.
The exhibition is kind of to contextualise who the Krays were, where they came from… what the East End means and what it meant, exhibition curator Zelda Cheattle said. It puts a new light on maybe a rather clichéd and romanticised view of what people have previously thought of the East End, she added.
The exhibition in Londons Bethnal Green also features a replica of the brothers mother Violets living room – with sofas, family pictures and china for tea – where visitors can watch videos of locals talk about the brothers and the area. It also features photographs by Steven Berkoff and Don McCullin, taken from the Cass East End archive.
Legend of the East End runs until 11 September at the Fun Factory in Bethnal Green Road. Legend, the film, opens in UK cinemas on 9 September and in the US on 2 October.
