Richard Avedon redefined portrait and fashion photography in the 20th century. In the 1940s, Avedon broke into the fashion world, adding a touch of realism and the fantastic to his photographs. In the last year of his life, Richard Avedon (1923-2004) completed the coffee-table book "Women in the Mirror," featuring his amazing photography of women.
Avedon was always a fashion photographer and was known as a "poet of portraiture." Avedon was always interested in how elementary facts of modern life and human existence were reflected in his work. And what could be more elemental than women, who have mesmerized artists throughout the ages? Looking at his work in this way, Avedon was able to create an unparalleled view of women in his time, a tumultuous half century of rapidly changing social facts, cultural ideals, popular styles and haute couture.
As an artist, Avedon was very receptive to nuances in expression, gestures and behavior, and his photographs, without exception, opened a window into the inner lives of his subjects. These ranged from celebrities (Marilyn Monroe), artists (Marguerite Duras, June Leaf) and fashion models (Suzy Parker, Dovima) to anonymous people who simply caught his attention. Like the best of art and literature, they evoke rich lives and complex experiences. A penetrating essay by art historian Anne Hollander offers an overview of half a century of Avedon's images of women.
Richard Avedon at the Kunsthal
Kunsthal Rotterdam presents a major survey of American photographer Richard Avedon (1923-2004). The exhibition Relationships highlights both Avedon's pioneering contribution to fashion photography and his distinctive portrait photography in over one hundred and thirty photographs.
Specifications
Title: Women in the Mirror
Author: Richard Avedon
Publisher: Abrams
Size: 363 x 291 x 32 mm
Size: 256 pages
Weight: 2432 grams
Language: English
Material: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780810959620