By Emily Ryles

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) is known for its questionable pieces that resemble children’s finger paintings or your grandmother’s knitted sweaters. Many MOMA goers often find themselves regarding these works of art with an “I could do that” attitude. However, this was nowhere near true at MOMA’s newest exhibit of Richard Avedon’s photographs. The late photographer’s portraits of everyone from the Beatles to a Santa Monica beach bum are far from DIY. In fact, many visitors to the museum were perplexed by how complicated, yet simple his portraits were. As oxymoronic as this may sound it is the only to describe Mr. Avedon’s legendary photos and the exhibit San Francisco MOMA has displayed.

An excellent example of his unique style and a highlight of the exhibit is his famous picture of Marilyn Monroe. The actress was photographed millions of times from paparazzi to professionals, and in Richard Avedon’s portrait she is depicted as her typical glamorous and seductive self. Her low cut dress is sparkling with sequins and her hair is effortlessly perfect. Yet, Mr. Avedon captures more than her blonde ringlets and hourglass shape. When looking at the photograph the viewers’ eye goes straight to the distraught look on her face. The look in Miss Monroe’s eyes is a shock from her usual flirty and fun personality and is heart wrenching. It truly is beyond words to describe the infamous actress’ expression except that she seems trapped behind the glass of the frame. One must wonder what Richard Avedon had to do to obtain this look from the seemingly perfect Monroe. It is inarguable that whoever sees this picture in person will agree they could not obtain that look from Marilyn Monroe unless they were Avedon himself. This unique talent of Avedon, spread across all his photos, is reason enough to splurge on the five-dollar ticket to the exhibit.

Not all of Mr. Avedon’s pictures are quite as morbid as the famous Monroe picture. Some display joyous pop stars lazily staring into the camera lens like the famous rendition of Janis Joplin. Others are clipped from fashion spreads from Harper’s Bazaar dating back to the 1950’s and 60’s. One of the favorite magazine clippings displayed at the exhibit is a psychedelic spread of all four Beatles from a 1967 edition of Look magazine. It portrays Paul McCartney in bubble gum pink and cotton candy blue, while John Lennon basks in an array of fire truck red and mustard yellow. These rare peeks into magazine history makes the visitors feel like a kid in a candy store looking into a glass case of sweets (not magazines). The temptation to turn their yellowed pages and see more is as hard to suppress as sneaking a lollipop from a candy jar. However, these treasures are safely protected beneath glass cases and are for viewing pleasure, not touching. The one downfall of the exhibit is that these tender pieces of photojournalism history are hard to see beneath the usually crowded case. Visitors might find themselves wishing they could have been displayed in a better manner.

These spreads may seem completely opposite to Monroe’s picture and many similar celebrity portraits, but a museum visitor will not feel lost among the glass cases and framed photographs. The best way to describe the common thread of Avedon’s work was what one British tourist named Joe Robertson commented as, “Personality I suppose…there’s a lot of emotion and personality that come across in his photos.” I could not agree more with Mr. Robertson’s point of view. Simple human exuberance is spread across all of his photos. The most striking of which are actually in his fashion photographs. Mr. Avedon was fascinated by New York social life, and it’s mistresses like Suzy Parker and Dorian Leigh. He captured these women’s glamorous fame and fashion like no other photographer could. His editorial work became more than just advertisements, but instead illustrations of what the pieces of couture represented.

Many may come to this exhibit for the world-renowned pictures of Dovima and the Elephants or his final portrait of musician Bjork. Joe Robertson said his favorite pictures were, “…the celebrity pictures because I’m not familiar with celebrities because I’m from Britain…” and describes coming across them as, “…quite exciting.” Although these are important elements to Richard Avedon’s work, they are not what many would consider “the crown jewel” of his collection. As one wanders through the rooms of the MOMA’s exhibit of this famous connoisseur of photography they might find that they are drawn to the pictures of unknown Americans as much as recognizable celebrities. Each viewer might even find that they are drawn to a self-portrait of Avedon without even realizing it is the famous photographer himself. Avedon’s true diamond in the rough is in his ability to make a photograph of an unknown person feel like it came right out of a family album. He allows his viewers to be connected with his subject with only the click of his shutter.

Overall the exhibit of Richard Avedon’s work is unique of the MOMA because unlike the rather redundant art that occupies the ominous brick building, Richard Avedon’s is a collection that ranges over many types of subjects but is all tied together by one thing: human individuality. While going over his life’s work museum goers will be surprised that Richard Avedon gives new meaning to the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” and how many more words a capture. MOMA did an excellent job of inspiring visitors to mourn the photographer’s death, even if they only knew about him after they went through the exhibit. Although the talented photographer is gone, his photographs remain with us forever, and this exhibit will not be the last to honor his work. 
 


Information:

To visit the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s exhibit, Richard Avedon: Photographs 1946-2004 go to www.sfmoma.org or call (415) 357-4000 for information.

The museum hours are from 11 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. daily (except Wednesdays), and are open until 8:30 pm on Thursdays. This summer the museum opens early at 10 a.m. Ticket fees are 15$ for adults, 9$ for seniors and students, and free for children 12 and under. Admission is free the first Tuesday of each month and half price Thursdays after 6 p.m.

 1923- Richard Avedon was born in New York City

 1942-1944– In this time period Avedon took portraits for the U.S. Merchant Marines and realized his passion for photography

1945-1965– Avedon was a staff photographer for Harper’s Bazaar

1947-1984– he photographed the French collections in Paris for Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue

1957– Avedon was the visual consultant for the film Funny Face

 1959– Observations, a book of Avedon’s work was published with text by Truman Capote

 1963– Avedon photographed the civil rights movement in America, here is a picture of William Casby, a man born into slavery

 1964– Nothing Personal, a book of Avedon’s work was published with text by James Baldwin

1966-1990– Staff photographer for Vogue, here is a photograph Avedon took of the fashion icon Twiggy

1969– Avedon followed the anti-war movement in America, here is a photograph Avedon shot of the Chicago seven

 1974- Avedon used photography to follow the last seven years of his father, Jacob Israel Avedon’s, life

 1976– Commissioned by Rolling Stone magazine to photograph politicians at America’s bicentennial year, Avedon captured portraits of many political figures, including George Bush senior

 1979-1984– Avedon photographed Americans in the west, those being left behind by urbanization, here is a photograph of Boyd Fortin, 13 year old rattlesnake skinner of Texas

 1992- became the first staff photographer for the New Yorker

 2004- Avedon was working on a piece entitled “Democracy” for the New Yorker

 October 1, 2004- Richard Avedon died of a cerebral hemorrhage while on location for the New Yorker in San Antonio Texas

SFMOMA has a new exhibit on their hands: the works of Richard Avedon, one of the most influential and prolific photographers of the 20th (and early 21st) century. Going into the exhibit, it’s obvious that you will be viewing beautiful photographs documenting culture, fashion, and portraits over a five-decade span; but it was up to SFMOMA Senior Curator of Photography, Sandra S. Phillips, to deliver an exhibit that could take awe-inspiring work and fit it into seven rooms, all the while organizing it in a way that would have museum-goers in a daze.

Overall the organization was successful, with minor exceptions. Phillips eschewed arbitrary chronological order, rather dividing the works by style. However, the flow of the rooms was sometimes lacking, with one particular room, containing iconic images of The Beatles, Janis Joplin, Malcolm X, and Bob Dylan, being commonly missed. Were these images deemed too famous to be available to the less-observant public?

Richard Avedon’s aesthetic, simple yet deep, was carried through the décor. The rooms were all white, with black text (with a font that wasn’t in the least fussy) either explaining the works you were to view or revealing relevant aspects of his life. Fighting through the crowd to read the text was a bit bothersome, but they were all concise and well written.

Next to the introductory text were early post-WWII shots that established his skill as a photographer, and showed how far he moved away from them in both his fashion photography and portraits.

The first room was solely devoted to his fashion photography, from his early work with original muse Suzy Parker to the iconic image of Dovima with the elephants (blown up in the center of the middle wall) to memorable images of Twiggy to Verushka and Jean Shrimpton. Meanwhile, the plexi-glass box in the center displayed his original work in issues of Harper’s Bazaar. While Avedon’s career as a fashion photographer lasted his whole life, according to SFMOMA it ended in the ‘70s. People expecting more of his fashion photography may have left the exhibit a little disappointed.

The next room is where the portrait style that is seen in the ensuing rooms begins. The style of portraiture was really what provided the cohesion, as the dates spanned from the early ‘50s to mid-‘60s, and the people photographed varied widely. In this one room were the images of a stripped-down Marilyn Monroe, artist Giacometti, The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, murderer Dick Hickock, and Louis Armstrong, to name a few.

The following room featured portraits in the same style, but they all were politically tied, most coming from his political collection The Family, as explained in the ever-so-helpful text on the wall. Visitors were led into the next room only to be confronted with a rather shocking portrait of Andy Warhol and some very nude company in The Factory. This room appeared to have been the artists’ room, as it housed portraits of Andy Warhol, William de Koenig, Francis Bacon, Jasper Johns, and Richard Avedon himself.

A retrospective of Avedon’s Western series, taken from 1979 to 1984, is well represented in a room solely devoted to it. Four walls are covered in monumental portraits of ordinary, stripped-down people of the American West, with the single exception of a self-portrait taken at the time.

What appeared to be the final room was a bit of a toss-up, not really carrying much of a theme other than being a few of Avedon’s more modern photographs. Featured were his photo of Bjork, Avedon’s final piece, and a three-part self-portrait. This room had only three, as opposed to four, walls, and the informative black text was noticeably missing, lending to the fact that this room was a but of a mixed bag, not leaving the best final impression. However, with tickets allowing only one admission to the exhibit, many had to choose between Bjork and their bladders.

Known for his nonconformist style and revealing portraits, Richard Avedon went beyond the typical static photos of pretty women in dresses to reveal the spirit of his subject. Avedon got his start as a fashion photographer shooting for magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Inspired by Martin Munkacsi, Avedon made his mark by showing his models being themselves and often in motion. For more than half a decade, Richard Avedon’s unpretentious photographs have graced the covers of the most famous magazines, inspired movies, and captured the essence of his subject’s soul.

While the fashion image is not known for depth, Avedon developed a style that revealed the soul and personality of its subject. He began photographing celebrities in his studio using minimalist techniques.  His subjects sat in front of a white backdrop and looked straight into the camera.  This style of photography allowed the viewer to focus on the subject’s personality, seeing the truth no matter how unflattering.  He knew that in order to fully embody someone through a portrait they would have to be stripped of every false trait they possessed.  This meant that Avedon would have to become a master of manipulation. 

When Avedon photographed the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, he knew they would put on their best royal faces for his camera.   Avedon began the session with a lie that would show a side of the Duke and Duchess no one had seen before.  The lie was simply that a taxi had hit his dog, but it destroyed the protective coating that the couple kept and revealed their true selves.  Whether or not this is an accurate description of the couple, Avedon felt that it shattered the couple’s barrier. 

A similar story took place when Avedon photographed the legendary Marilyn Monroe.  Today we all understand Miss Monroe’s tragic story, but rewind 50 years and she was the epitome of a perky, blond bombshell.  The moment she stepped in front of the camera, she put on her perfect, peppy persona.  She spent hours dancing, singing, and simply being Marilyn Monroe.  After Avedon had allowed her to wear herself down “there was an inevitable drop…she sat in the corner like a child, with everything gone” he stated.  The final result is among one of the most famous portraits ever made, foreshadowing Marilyn’s life to come.

Richard Avedon was not only skilled with a camera, but also with minds.  His photographs pushed boundaries and showed a new side to some of the most well known personalities of his time.  With the click of a shutter, and a small white lie, he could dive past a forged exterior and expose the truth that remained in each one of his subjects.  Whether what he exposed was the truth or not, there is no doubt that Richard Avedon was not only a master photographer, but also a master manipulator.

Richard Avedon’s exhibit at the SF MOMA reminds us all over again of his genius. When you look at his photographs it’s like you can feel the moment. You know exactly what he wanted to get across as if he was describing it to you himself. Even the most abstract pictures that you think you won’t understand you still get the feeling, the emotion, and the portrayal behind it.. When you look at his pictures you’re able to see the soul of the people he photographs screaming out of the picture.

The photos take you away right when you walk into the room of his pictures. Some are so intense that you’re scared to look at it for long. Like his photograph of the murderer Richard Hickock. The photograph is just of Hickock’s face starring into the unknown, yet Avedon captures so much in such a simplistic shot.

Richard Avedon not only had an impact in the photography industry, but also in the fashion business. In the exhibit most of the photographs were straightforward nonmoving pictures that just focused on the people’s emotions on their face. But when it came to his fashion pictures the power of his style changed into the fun, love, and excitement of the fashion world.  His simplistic style washed away and captured the glamour of fashion. Like the photograph of Suzy Parker and Mike Nichols from Harper’s Bazaar. The picture goes in depth while still focusing on the clothing.  He portrays fashion as more than just clothes. It’s a lifestyle, as the picture takes place at a casino in a high-end hotel, giving the perception that money is no object.

Also his iconic Marilyn Monroe portrait of her in a white tulle tutu; making us all feel the magic of the picture. It’s like a moment of a fairytale that lovers of the fashion industry would love to capture in their hand.

Whether he was snapping a shot for Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, or any other fashion magazine. Just by looking at the photograph the name “Richard Avedon” is written all over the page. He also made a mark on fashion by giving fashion an even bigger voice and stand. He made people see fashion as serious, along with the fun that travels behind it.

So what defines a great photographer? Someone who can capture a moment so pure it’s like you’re there. Someone who can get the most abstract idea across along with the most simplistic, and yet still have the same intensity. It’s someone who gives you the feeling that you’re able to step inside the picture, and for a moment everything else around you vanishes. Richard Avedon was one of those great photographers, and the lovers of the fashion world will always be grateful. For the beauty he brought to fashion.

Simple and clean are two of the best words to describe the Richard Avedon exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Situated on the fourth floor, the exhibit takes up a whole wing and takes you on a journey through Avedon’s various and scattered portraits of many familiar faces.

As the exhibit starts, it leads into an room of Avedon’s iconic fashion photographs. Though iconic may be an overused word in the art world, it perfectly describes Avedon-he is an icon himself, as well as having subjects with iconic status. Detractors may claim that these images are already ingrained in our conscious to a point of being cliched. But, this exhibit shows use not just the famous Avedon but another side as well.

His long list of credentials support the fact that Avedon himself is an icon, working for everyone from Vogue to The New Yorker. In the middle of the room of fashion photos is a glass case holding some original editions of Harpers Bazaar, which house some of Avedon’s photographs. Immediately the viewer sees how Avedon incorporates journalistic techniques into the magazines. The magazines help to incorporate a feel of timelessness, and how Avedon’s work will not soon be forgotten.

The photographs are impressive. They line the walls in single line, with clean white frames and short descriptions, which include the subject and date, next to each photograph. The lighting strikes the photographs at just the right angle so as to accentuate the contrast. One aspect of Avedon’s photographs is that they are all black and white, with the exceptions of the magazines. Even when color film was available, Avedon continued to use black and white, which is an interesting choice in portraits. There is so much color in the face-lips, eyes, skin tones, yet Avedon continued to capture the true soul of every person he photographed through only using black and white. The MoMA does an excellent job of displaying the photographs, using the simple white walls and light hardwood floors to help emphasize the photographs. In the room of fashion photographs, there are a few wooden frames with some of his original sketches.

Much of the exhibit follows this format. The next few rooms, including one with various political figures as well as one with a “who’s who” of twentieth century pop culture, are very similar in their format.

Some photographs are sized bigger than others, with the largest being an impressive larger than life-size shot of Andy Warhol and the Factory. This photograph is shocking, incorporating people in the nude, just being unexpected at this turn. But everyone seems impressed and in awe of the photograph, it was hard not to be just because of its scale as compared to the other, smaller photographs. The photographs all convey emotions that were previously unknown or unexpected in many of his subjects, such as vulnerability in Marilyn Monroe, or his elderly father, Jacob Israel Avedon.

As the exhibit continues, an unexpected turn hits you. A room full of Avedon’s work from the “American West” lines the walls. This is the one room that does not seem to follow the white-framed format that is so prevalent in the rest of the collection. Instead of being placed in glass frames with a white border, the photographs are left uncovered, and simply placed on silver backings, with wires in front so the crowds can’t get too close. This element helps diversify the exhibit, and also emphasize the difference of these photographs from the others. The photographs are not of celebrities or athletes, or even fashion, but the real, honest people of America. They are uncovered, much like the physical being of the photographs, which, as stated, have no glass covering.

The piercing eyes in the piece of Clifford Feldner is just one of the many very raw pieces contained within this room. The crowd seemed most enthralled by this room, as well as the most quiet and reflective when viewing. The atmosphere in this one room is completely different from the rest of the exhibit. Even its position in relation to the other rooms, near the back, supports the quiet setting.

The exhibit ends with a series of three photographs of Richard Avedon himself. Self-portraits of Avedon are scattered throughout, and the ending pictures bring the exhibit full circle, going from Avedon being a young and inexperienced photographer, to the wise old soul that he became by the end of the exhibit and his lifetime. The photographs are beautifully displayed in the SF MoMA, bringing out the beautiful qualities that Avedon captured throughout his life.

Many exhibits have come and gone to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art but this summer one exhibit has captured the eyes of fashion and photography lovers. 

This exhibit is that American photographer Richard Avedon who took some of the most iconic photographs in the 20^th century. The exhibit displays over 200 photographs taken by Avedon that span from 1944-2004. Avedon’s exhibit proves to many doubters that photography and fashion can be art.

Once you enter the exhibit you notice a theme, all the walls are white and all the photos are framed the same except of course for his collection called “in the American west.” This collection is displayed without any frames and carefully protected by some rope fencing. The exhibit is clean, plain, and is pleasantly organized. The people who put together the exhibit showed they used much thought and time to put it together. This time and organization is truly deserved by Avedon.

In the beginning of his career he worked mostly in fashion. He was heavily influenced by Hungarian photographer Martin Munkacsi who revolutionized fashion by taking photos of models in motion. Avedon used this inspiration in many of his photos. In the 50’s he spent his time mostly taking pictures in Paris. One of the most famous pictures from this is Dovima with Elephants. The importance of this photo is clearly displayed in the exhibit. It is blown up and perfectly placed next to the display case of magazines where it came from. He displayed Dovima in an evening dress by Dior and put her in a room covered in hay and sawdust. Also with her were some new models, two fully-grown elephants. This iconic photo proved new ground for what fashion photography could look like. Displaying a new type of fantasy. His work of fashion went throughout his whole career. Some of his most famous photos that were shown in the exhibit were of twiggy with her hair flying through the air or of Veruschka seemingly falling sideways. Most of his fashion photos captured his models in new forms of movement and stance.

Another thing Avedon revolutionized was portrait photography. Many wonder what exactly he was trying to get across with his photos. They were mostly all black and white, which was strange for portrait. Another strange thing is in these portraits rarely were they just standing there in a pose with a posed face. Most of his photos captured something someone laughing, dancing, singing or someone showing emotion somehow. He captured something in every person he photographed. He captured who these people really were in one simple black and white photo.

One of the most breathtaking examples of this was a photo he took of Marilyn Monroe. She was in her normal attire, a beautiful dress with her hair and make up done to perfection but something in her face was clearly off. Usually she was photographed with her famous overjoyed smile but this time something was different. She looked clearly upset. Something no one else had captured in photos of her before. A true sad emotion, something no one thought she possessed. Marilyn herself almost seems taken aback by the emotion she was feeling. 

Not all of his pictures are so morbid though. In a picture of Janis Joplin, he captured her laughing and looking like she was having a good time. One wonders how Avedon managed to capture this. Avedon is not just a lucky man who got a good shoot. He was clearly talented capturing people in a way they had never been captured before. Like in Joplin, showing her with a smile on her face and as a happy woman instead of her in her normally drug educed state.

Avedon did not only simply take pictures of celebrities and models. His collection “In the American West” strayed far from his fashion and celebrity work. He photographed common people (adults and children) showing their everyday lives. He took photos of people in various places from Colorado to Montana. They were all pictured on plain white backgrounds and did not show them in common stereotypes. He challenged these stereotypes (like in most of his work) and showed what the American west truly was. Not the happy farmer with the cute family having an easy days work. He showed them in plain clothing with them displaying clear unhappiness. Proving to most that it was not an easy happy life for these people but it was a struggle for them. This collection of photographs, which strayed from his normal work were perfectly displayed in the exhibit because this was the one room setup different from all the rest.

Avedon’s many pictures are truly the most iconic things of the 20^th century. He captured everyone important, many celebrities from the Beatles to Marilyn, politicians’ From Reagan to Obama, mobsters of the Chicago Seven and just the American people. Each picture speaks to something. They do not need color to get across its message whatever the message may be. Avedon’s photos had only one clear commonality and that was they all were portraits in some way other then that every picture had a clear “mind of its own”. The Avedon exhibit is truly a masterpiece just like his work. Make sure to keep in mind though you are only allowed one entrance so use your time wisely and don’t touch the glass!

"Homage to Munkacsi", Paris, 1957

As a child, this young icon enjoyed the works of the famous Hungarian photographer, Martin Munkacsi, which featured models running in nature. And, from that inspiration grew the highly influential legend whom we know today, Richard Avedon.

Having captured Carmen in a coat by Cardin, Avedon beautifully paid “Homage to Munkacsi” in 1957.

In 1961, Avedon photographed dancer Cyd Charisse gliding across a white backdrop; a photo that captures the movement of not only the subject, but also the contrasting lines and fluidity of the clothing.

When Twiggy’s boniness met Richard Avedon’s hunger for movement in early 1968, the result was an enchanting vision.

And, in 1991, he captured the beautiful figure of ballerina Sylvie Guillem dancing in a play of shadow and light.

This acclaimed visionary has left a sword in stone. Although many photographers have attempted to mirror Avedon’s liberating style of ridding models from their stationary poses, few have reached Avedon’s mastery. His photographs portray the subject in motion so that the viewer can really feel the energy.

During his time at Bazaar, Avedon would venture off to Paris to photograph the latest couture. Just as Christian Dior was epitomizing Parisian style, making the city the center of the fashion universe, Avedon made his mark as well. He removed models from the sterile environment of the runways, allowing them to roam Paris. Capturing the swaying skirts and leaping models, Avedon was able to transfer the energy of that moment to those who view those photographs today. 

In 1950, Avedon photographed the tall, thin and richly elegant Dovima wearing a satin Jacques Fath gown, but it’s not just her face that sends a message. It’s her body language.  Avedon could speak in codes; he understood the body and the way it moves. Once he went to Vogue, his movement became more extravagant.

In the ’60s, the flower children of the moment, such as Twiggy and Penelope Tree,  expanded Avedon’s definition of the fashion image. 

Avedon successfully produced images that worked as narratives, telling stories of life and the endless luxury and beauty in even the simplest of things… however; his photos were never simple. They were always kinetic.

In his photographs of dancers, ballerinas and choreographers, Avedon was able to boldly display their rigorous self-discipline, strength and beauty of their toned bodies. Ballet is beautiful in person… but in seeing one move captured by camera, the viewer can truly feel the tension and energy flowing through the performer. Popping veins, flexed muscles… it’s permanently captured in black and white, not temporarily seen for half a second, if that.

Through his photographs, movement is made real. Motion is sophisticated. Motion is chic. Motion is modern. It’s truly amazing that, despite time, Richard Avedon’s work remains one-of-a-kind, and entirely inimitable.