The Tragic Story of Kate Barry, Jane Birkin's First Daughter
Before her death, Kate Barry, like her mother, left a pronounced influence on the global fashion sector.
With news of the passing of French singer, actress, and fashion icon Jane Birkin quickly circulating, attention is drawn to Birkin's three daughters, each of which followed in their mother's footsteps with their artistic and creative contributions to the fashion and entertainment industries. Birkin's eldest daughter Kate Barry, whom she had with late British film composer John Barry, suffered a tragic death in Paris in 2013, but her legacy as an esteemed fashion photographer proceeds as her work remains on display in art galleries and photography exhibitions around the world.
While Barry's career entailed a life behind the camera, her reputation is characterized by more than her mother's influence as she spent her days photographing her world and those inhabiting it. Join L'OFFICIEL in remembering Kate Barry for her keen artistic vision and her ability to capture the most beautiful moments of life in Paris.
Separating from her first husband and Kate's biological father soon after Kate was born in 1967, Jane Birkin moved to Paris, France and raised Kate with French singer Serge Gainsbourg, which whom she had her second daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg four years later. However, their relationship as a Parisian power couple ended in 1981 as a result of Gainsbourg's struggles with alcoholism, leading Birkin to move in with Jacques Doillon and give birth to her third daughter Lou Doillon in 1982.
Kate Barry's father John Barry passed away in January 2011, but she still managed to remain close with her mother and her two sisters, who were often the muses of her photography. Two years after she began her career as a photographer, Kate Barry began featuring her work in international photography exhibitions as well as publishing her work in major publications, such as British Vogue and Paris Match.
With a history of turning to drugs and alcohol to cope with her struggles with mental health, Kate Barry founded a free support center in France for addicts and is remembered for her compassion and ability to communicate her emotions through her photographs.
Kate Barry's technical and creative choices as an artist led to the evolution of her photography style of capturing intimate photos of famous personalities. Beginning by using her mother and her sisters as models for her work, Kate Barry transitioned to photographing renowned celebrities of the era. In 2002, Kate Barry worked alongside Carla Bruni in the production of her debut album Someone Told Me. Depicting the French model laying on her side with nothing but a guitar in her hand, Barry's artistic vision complimented the alluring, provocative sound of the album, contributing to her overall style as a photographer.
On December 11, 2013, Kate Barry died at age 46 from a four-floor fall from her apartment in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. While the death was presumed a suicide, Kate's half-sister Charlotte Gainsbourg cast doubt in a 2017 interview, telling The Sunday Times, "I want to believe it's an accident."
Showcasing the work of Jane Birkin's eldest daughter Kate Barry is the My Own Space exhibition at the Nicéphore Niépce Museum in France, cherishing the archived work and life of creative vision Kate Barry. The My Own Space exhibition opened on June 16, 2023 and will remain open to the public until September 17, 2023. More information on how to attend can be found on the Nicéphore Niépce Museum website.
