Colin Ford (curator)


Colin John Ford is a British photographic curator, historian of photography, and former museum director.
Ford has written a number of books on the history of photography.

Life

Ford was educated at University College, Oxford University.
Ford began his career in the theatre. He has been a director and broadcaster. During 1972–82, Ford was Keeper of Film and Photography at the National Portrait Gallery, London. He then became the first director of the UK National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford. From 1992 he was Director of the National Museums and Galleries of Wales.
Ford has interviewed contemporary photographers such as Don McCullin. He also gives lectures on the history of photography.
Until 2010, Ford was Chairman of the Kraszna-Krausz Foundation. He is Vice-President of the Julia Margaret Cameron Trust and Chairman of the Peel Entertainment Group.

Books

Ford is a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
The Royal Photographic Society established the annual Colin Ford Award in 2003 for contributions to curatorship, named after Colin Ford as the first director of the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.
There are several photographs of Ford in the National Portrait Gallery collection, including works by Arnold Newman, Norman Parkinson, and Cheryl Twomey.