The Lilliput Press has released "Scribendi – Irish Writers: 1985-2025," a comprehensive photographic collection by acclaimed British photographer Steve Pyke, created in collaboration with Photo Museum Ireland. The substantial volume showcases over 100 portraits and interviews featuring Ireland's most celebrated contemporary writers, spanning from Nobel Prize winner Seamus Heaney to rising literary star Louise Kennedy, and including renowned authors Anne Enright and Edna O'Brien.
Pyke, who was born in the English Midlands but found his calling as a photographer in Ireland, has spent four decades documenting the faces behind Ireland's literary renaissance. His journey began with his first portraits in Dublin during the early 1980s, where he immediately recognized the profound cultural importance of Irish writers to their nation. "I come from the English midlands, but I became a photographer in Ireland. I made my first portraits in Dublin in the early 1980s. It was immediately apparent to me then how important Irish writers are to their country," Pyke explained.
The photographer's first major literary portrait session took place in 1985 with writer Neil Jordan at his inaugural London studio, marking the beginning of what would become a lifelong passion project. Over the subsequent forty years, Pyke has continued photographing Irish writers whose works have captivated him personally. His early subjects included literary luminaries such as Seamus Heaney, Edna O'Brien, and John McGahern, establishing a foundation for what would become an invaluable cultural archive.
In recent years, Pyke has expanded his focus to capture the next generation of Irish literary talent, including Booker Prize winner Anne Enright, acclaimed novelist Kevin Barry, and emerging writer Louise Kennedy. His motivation extends beyond mere documentation: "I photographed these people because I had read their books and admired and wanted to meet them, and also to make a record for posterity. Their faces can bring to others something of the feeling and way of thinking behind their words," Pyke stated.
An exhibition curated by Trish Lambe showcasing selections from the collection was displayed earlier this month at the Photo Museum Ireland, allowing visitors to experience these intimate literary portraits firsthand. Steve Pyke MBE brings considerable credentials to this project, having authored nine previous books including "I Could Read The Sky" (Harvill), "Philosophers" (Oxford University Press), and "Poguetry" (Faber). His distinguished career has earned him numerous accolades, including an MBE in 2003 for his contributions to photography.
Pyke's work has been featured in prestigious institutions including the National Portrait Galleries in both London and Washington, D.C., among other major museums worldwide. From 2004 to 2014, he served as the staff portrait photographer for The New Yorker magazine, further cementing his reputation as one of the premier portrait photographers of his generation. The hardback edition of "Steve Pyke: Scribendi – Irish Writers: 1985-2025" is now available through The Lilliput Press for $47.00 USD, offering readers and photography enthusiasts an unprecedented glimpse into Ireland's rich contemporary literary landscape through the lens of a master photographer.
