Synopses & Reviews
"We all perform. It's what we do for each other all the time, deliberately or unintentionally. It's a way of telling about ourselves in the hope of being recognized as what we'd like to be."
--Richard Avedon, 1974
The preeminent stars and artists of the performing arts from the second half of the 20th century offered their greatest giftsand#151;and, sometimes, their inner livesand#151;to Richard Avedon. More than 200 are portrayed in Performance, many in photographs that have been rarely or never seen before. Of course, the great stars light the way: Hepburn and Chaplin, Monroe and Garland, Brando and Sinatra. But here too are the actors and comedians, pop stars and divas, musicians and dancers, artists in all mediums with public lives that were essentially performances, who stand at the pinnacle of our cultural achievement.
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The celebrated author and critic John Lahr offers an elegant assessment of Avedonand#8217;s achievement. Four supremely talented artists from the performing artsand#151;Mike Nichols, Andrand#233; Gregory, Mitsuko Uchida, and Twyla Tharpand#151;contribute lively and moving memoirs about their collaborations with Avedon.
Synopsis
No photographer had a more serious and deeply felt response to the political and cultural impact of the 1960s and early 1970s than Richard Avedon, whose iconic portraits of key figures of the era influenced the course of photography in the decades that followed. In four monumental photographic murals (reproduced in large gatefolds) and many related portraits, he portrayed Andy Warholandrsquo;s gender-bending Factory, with Viva and Candy Darling; Abbie Hoffman and the radical agitators of the Chicago Seven; Allen Ginsbergandrsquo;s family, friends, and fellow artists; and the U.S. Mission Council in Saigon alongside searing portraits of victims of the Vietnam War.
The photographs are accompanied by images of archival material, including Avedonandrsquo;s diaries, correspondence, and contact prints. Major essays explore Avedonandrsquo;s penetrating incursions into the history and spirit of these tumultuous years.
Praise for Avedon: Murals and Portraits:
andldquo;The past season has given us some memorable photography shows in the cityandrsquo;s museums and galleries. None have been betterandmdash;technically more audacious, emotionally more varied, ethically more unansweringandmdash;than this one.andrdquo; andmdash;New York Times
Synopsis
Avedon Fashion 1944-2000 encompasses seven decades of extraordinary images by Richard Avedon, the most influential fashion photographer of the 20th century.This comprehensive volume offers a definitive survey, from Avedon's groundbreaking early photographs for
Harper's Bazaar through his constantly inventive contributions to
Vogue, Egoiste, and The New Yorker. Each carefully selected image represents an artistic collaboration with significant models, stylists, and designers. Avedon Fashion accompanies the first major exhibition to survey this body of work, at the International Center of Photography in May 2009. With critical essays by Carol Squiers, curator at the ICP, and photography critic Vince Aletti, as well as an appreciation by photo-historian Philippe Garner,
Avedon Fashion chronicles an astonishing record of photographic achievement.
Synopsis
Artists Richard Avedon (1923andndash;2004) and Andy Warhol (1928andndash;1987) came to prominence in a time of profound change around the world. Amid that political and social upheaval, both men became renowned for their work, elucidating themes of portraiture, celebrity, gender, politics, and religion. Avedon brought the personality of the sitter to the forefront, revealing his subjectsandrsquo; inner selves. Warhol created por- traits and images that were emotionally opaque, glamorous and impersonal.
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Avedon and Warhol knew one another, and each had an abiding belief in the power of the image to seduce, amuse, and shock . They created original visions of the world around them, becoming two of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Synopsis
This monumental survey is the first to do justice to Cecil Beatonandrsquo;s astonishing photographic career spanning six decades, from the 1920s to the 1970s. To create it, Mark Holborn thoroughly explored Beatonandrsquo;s vast studio archive, revealing an artist of extraordinary energy and ambition who made definitive portraits of the leading figures of his time, including Pablo Picasso, Gertrude Stein, Greta Garbo, Audrey Hepburn, Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, David Hockney, and Mick Jagger. Beaton immerses the reader in memorable social and cultural scenes, including the ceremony of the British royal family, the society of the 1920s, the glamour of Hollywood, the drama of World War II, the high artistic bohemia of Paris and London, and the pop royalty of the 1960s.
Holborn contributes an introductory essay, and Annie Leibovitz offers an appreciation of Beaton as a portrait photographer.
About the Author
John Lahr is Senior Drama Critic of The New Yorker. In 2002, he was the first drama critic ever to win a Tony Award. Mike Nichols is an American Emmy Award, Academy Award, Grammy Award, and Tony Awardand#150;winning stage and film director, writer, and producer. Andrand#233; Gregory is an American director and actor. His best-known film appearance was as the title character in My Dinner with Andre. Mitsuko Uchida is a classical pianist, renowned for her recordings of Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. Twyla Tharp is a leading American dancer and choreographer.