Vale Clay Perry

10 August 2026

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our friend and colleague, the distinguished photographer, Clay Perry (1940-2026). We knew Clay and his family for more than forty years, and since 2013, England & Co have represented him, exhibited his photographs, and worked with him on his archive from the 1960s.

Clay played an integral role in the avant-garde art scene of 1960s London, documenting many of the most innovative international artists of the period. He was the house photographer for the avant-garde SIGNALS art gallery and their publications, and worked with many artists, including Yoko Ono, David Medalla, Robert Rauschenberg, Sérgio de Camargo, Gustav Metzger, Mark Boyle, Mira Schendel, Liliane Lijn and Takis.

Clay subsequently had a long career as an editorial photographer with The Sunday Times Magazine, worked in advertising and was the sole photographic illustrator for around twenty books. He was renowned for his lyrical images of gardens and flowers and for his travel photographs, including those for the book, Vanishing Greece, a personal project with Maggie Perry, his wife and collaborator. His photographs are held in public and private collections, including the National Portrait Gallery, London.