Cool, calm and now eminently collectable

THE SOCIAL NETWORK:The model and stylist Chloe Arnold has returned to Dublin from London for the final two months of her pregnancy. Accompanied by her boyfriend, the musician Justin Manville, she enjoyed the Experience Hendrix photographic exhibition at the Ebow gallery on Castle Street, in Dublin 2, on Thursday evening.

Manville told me he is launching a new album in Arles, Provençe, in August. Arnold is a sister of the former Clinic actor Leigh Arnold, who gave birth a few months ago to a baby boy, Hunter James.

Arnold and Manville liked the “cheeky grin” of Jimi Hendrix in some of Gered Mankowitz’s photographs. Just before Mankowitz gave a speech, word went around the gallery that Bruce Springsteen was across the road, in Leo Burdock’s fish-and-chip shop near Christ Church. Some guests rushed to the window, but they were too late to catch a glimpse of the Boss.

As Hendrix’s personal photographer, Mankowitz had complete access to him and captured some of the most celebrated images of the guitarist during the 1960s. Mankowitz considers himself a pioneer in music photography. “I’ve been doing it for over 20 years, and the pieces are now eminently collectable,” he said.

That’s good news for Michael Mortell, who arrived at the exhibition from his antique gallery, on Francis Street. Mortell told me some of his friends bought him a present of a Mankowitz photograph of Jimi Hendrix for his 50th birthday. A number of limited-edition pieces are available for €750-€6,000. The exhibition runs until August 12th.

What we drankGiacondi Nero d'Avola