Richard Avedon at FOAM

Friedlander and Avedon

with a footnote on Gerhard Richter.

The first major exhibition of Avedon’s work since his death, Photographs: 1946-2004 is a sweeping retrospective of his work currently on show at FOAM. It covers all of his work, from early fashion work for Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue and others through to his later celebrity portraits. Virtually all of the work comes from the Avedon Estate, all original prints by the artist as none of his work has been reprinted since his death.

This is a large collection, more that 200 prints on display, taking the entireity of the exhibition space in the rather small FOAM building (thhe permanent collection has decamped across the road for the duration of this exhibition).

I had limited exposure to Avedon’s work in the past, and certainly nothing in any kind of context. Starting with the early work, the fashion photography looks fresh and modern. The settings and poses seem very typical of fashion photography, until one looks at the dates of the work – they are all from the early fifties. It is clearly evident how Avedon was breaking the mould of static, posed fashion photography, turning it into a living, vital visual expression. One can see the origins of modern aspirational fashion marketing in Avedon’s photographs.

Satchmo

One then moves through the galleries, away from the assignment-style magazine shoots into the portraiture for which he is probably better known. Here, again, there is a sense of innovation. These are much more that glamorous celebrity pictures or environmental portraits, with descriptive props all around. These are deeper, more intimate probing into the deeper character of the subjects. Avedon’s use of white backdrops focuses attention on the sitter and the masterful prints have a sense of depth and solidity that makes these people real in way that I’ve not often seen in photographs. The quality of the prints really has to be experienced first hand.

Eisenhower and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee

The exhibition itself is well constructed to show the work to maximum advantage. The framing, lighting, and annotation all help to enhance the work by not detracting from it. Pairs and groups of images are selecting to draw comparisons between the work and the subjects. Even the free brochure is well done.

Regarding America (In the American West series)

I’m rather glad that I was delayed in writing this review as I have had a chance to visit the National Portrait Gallery in London, in particular the current exhibition Gerhard Richter: Portraits. It is not directly related to photography as Richter work from photographs to produce his paintings but it draws interesting comparison in artistic philosophy. Richter said that

“A portrait should not express anything of the sitter’s soul, essence or character”

Working from photographs, Richter produced work that looks rather like photographs greatly enlarged but often distorted enough to obscure context and introduce abiguity of subject or meaning.

In contrast, Avedon expressly uses the ability of personal contact and the literal nature of photography to get beyond the surface impression of his subjects.

It was also interesting to view some of the photography galleries at NPG. After seeing Avedon’s work, suddenly the other portraits I saw seem rather staid and derivative. It only served to highlight what a master of the form Avedon really was.

There is also a book that accompanies the exhibition which I was able to peruse at length at FOAM. While the reporductions don’t have quite the depth of tone and certainly none of the impact of size, they are, nonetheless, excellent prints for a book. There are also some rather good essays to accompany the work. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in portrait photography – it is almost a single volume masterclass in the genre.

Gerhard Richter: Portraits is at the National Portrait Gallery, London until31st May 2009

Richard Avedon: Photographs 1946-2004 is on at FOAM until13th May 2009 and then travelling on.

The accompanying book Richard Avedon: Photographs 1946-2004 is published by Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Focus on Photography: Peter Feldstein

Peter Feldstein will be at the Harry Ransom Center, Austin, Texas, on April 16th to discuss his book, The Oxford Project. This project started in 1985, when Peter set up a shop on Augusta Street in Oxford, Iowa. He hung a sign that said he wanted to make free portraits of everyone in the town (population of 673). By the finish he’d photographed 670 of the residents. 20 years later, Peter went back and photographed the same people. The book records and displays the passing of time and how those people in that small town in middle America have changed over the years.

This is a fascinating collection of before and after photographs, along with revealing interviews, conducted by Stephen G. Bloom.

The lecture is at 7p.m. on Thursday April 16th, at the Harry Ransom Center in the Charles Nelson Prothro Theater.

An evening with Mary Ellen Mark

This is the first of a series of lectures, from the newly formed Austin Center for Photography. Mary Ellen Mark has published 17 books and won numerous awards for her photography. In this lecture she’ll discuss some of her favourite work and contributions.

“ MARY ELLEN MARK has achieved worldwide visibility through her numerous books, exhibitions and editorial magazine work. Today, she is recognized as one of our most respected and influential photographers. Her images of our world’s diverse cultures have become landmarks in the field of documentary photography. Her portrayals of Mother Teresa, Indian circuses, and brothels in Bombay were the product of many years of work in India. A photo essay on runaway children in Seattle became the basis of the academy award nominated film STREETWISE, directed and photographed by her husband, Martin Bell.”

For more details, check out the Austin Center for Photography newsletter, First Exposure.

Thursday, March 12th at 7pm

Blanton Museum Auditorium, University of Texas, Austin, Texas (map)

Cost: Members Free, $10 General Admission, $5 Students/Seniors/Military Tickets at the door (Seating is limited so please arrive early to ensure admission)

Fritz Henle : In Search of Beauty

A new exhibit recently opened at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas, in Austin, displaying the work of Fritz Henle. There are over 125 photographs on display, taken across Henle’s 60 year career. There is a wide range of subject matter on display, fashion images for Harper’s Bazaar, industrial landscapes, images from Life magazine, portraits, nude studies, landscapes. Henle was nicknamed ‘Mr. Rollei’ and much of his work is shot in that camera’s square aspect ratio. There is a strong sense of design and a different point of view running through all of his photographs.

“Fritz Henle: In Search of Beauty” can be seen at the Ransom Center on Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended Thursday hours to 7 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays the galleries are open from noon to 5 p.m. The galleries are closed on Mondays. The exhibition runs from Feb. 3 to Aug. 2, 2009.

This Thursday, March 5th, at 7pm, Alison Nordstrom, Curator of Photographs at the George Eastman House, presents “The World Every Week: Picture Magazines and the Golden Age of Photojournalism.”

This lecture, which is held in conjunction with the Henle exhibition, explores the historical and cultural context of Henle’s work. Nordstrom discusses the era of great American photo magazines, such as LIFE and Look, and how these publications were made, marketed, consumed, and understood both then and now. Seating is free, but limited. There will also be a live webcast, starting at 7pm.