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During the eighties, Gregory was enrolled at the Royal College of Art together with fellow creator, then organizing a showcase of Black photographic art. Piper invited me to submit my art,” recalls the veteran photographer.

While Piper appreciated her explorations into colonialism, race, gender, and beauty, those in charge rejected her submission claiming it wasn’t “representative enough.” “You have to understand the political climate of that time,” she explains. “I was taking pictures of flowers. In my view, you have the right to make whatever work they choose. By shutting down what can and cannot be, you begin to censor yourself.”

Exploring the possibilities of the photographic medium has always been central to Gregory’s work. This path started with self-representation and experimentation. Her 1990s work titled Autoportrait—featuring nine monochrome self-portraits—is one of her most recognized works.

Gregory’s body of work spans still-life, portraits, moving image, and textiles, addressing subjects like identity, collective history, and language heritage. More than two hundred and fifty works are set to be shown at her retrospective titled Catching Flies With Honey at London’s prestigious gallery from October.

One particularly meaningful new work has taken 20 years to complete. This project focuses on research I’ve conducted since 2003 on at-risk dialects,” Gregory says. I have collaborated with a single group and family for more than 20 years. Many of the individuals who participated are no longer with us, and it was important to create an object to show the community.”

Born in England in 1959 to Jamaican parents, Gregory was artistically inclined early on. She painted, made clothes, and read voraciously. “We lived near a bookbindery, so when books were discarded, I would retrieve them,” she recalls. Her first camera was a major gift by her family.

Her goals remain simple: “My aim was always to produce meaningful work.” She prizes innovation and human touch over digital perfection. In modern photography, everything can be perfect. Yet I’m interested in the idea of human intervention—each print as one-of-a-kind and impossible to duplicate.”

Featured Pieces from the Exhibition

Memory & Skin, 1998
It constituted the initial significant commission I undertook,” says Gregory. The work explored the dynamic linking the West and the Caribbean. Growing up in a Jamaican household in Europe, you become bilingual, bicultural. This piece focused on bridging both worlds.”

The Fairest, 1999
Gregory became interested in why people would want to go blonde,” the artist comments. She selected individuals from various European-descent and non-European origins to discuss their experiences.”

The Blonde, 1997–2010
“In 1998, there were abruptly a lot of non-white individuals sporting blond hair,” Gregory explains. “They were challenging ideas of self-expression and beauty. Some furious responses in online forums, yet it was intriguing to witness people playing with self-identity.”

The Handbag Project, 1998–present
The handbags are brought to London from South Africa,” says the artist. She aimed to create a project physical, using salt printing. Each print became a surprise.”

Language of Flowers, 1992–2004
“The use of cyanotype was appropriate since it is a 19th-century method,” she says. “It references plant-based traditions and the human desire for endurance within a ephemeral world.”

Catching Flies With Honey will be open at Whitechapel Gallery from 8 October to early next year.