See Richard Avedon's Most Iconic Photographs During Haute Couture Fashion Week
Gagosian presents Iconic Avedon, a celebration of the centennial of Richard Avedon — exploring the genius of the photographer, whose work created cult imagery of many pop culture icons.
"Photography has always been a kind of double-sided mirror for me. One side reflects my subject, the other side reflects me." Richard Avedon shaped the history of pop culture. From his fashion photography to his penchant for capturing celebrities, his work can only be referred to as "iconic." Now, the public can truly see that for themselves at the Gagosian Gallery in Paris. The Iconic Avedon exhibition celebrates the late photographer's impact as well as marking his 100th birthday.
Creator of icons, Avedon is distinguished for his portraits, which testify to his strange ability to arouse the singular vitality of his subjects by inscribing their charged essences—even those of already famous people. His portraits of Marian Anderson (1955), Marilyn Monroe (1957), Bob Dylan (1965), and the Beatles (1967) are as indelible as they are timeless. Harold Brodkey said of Avedon's portrayal of him, "It's not the way I look, but the way I am."
With an unerring eye, impeccable timing, and prescient sensitivity, Avedon propelled Dovima (1955), China Machado (1958), and Penelope Tree (1967) to the pinnacle of their profession. He also captured incomparable images of Charlie Chaplin (1952), Jacqueline Kennedy (1961), Andy Warhol (1969), and Tina Turner (1971) at pivotal moments in their lives.
Inaugurated during Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris, the Iconic Avedon exhibition highlights the deep ties that unite Avedon to the city, which was for him an early field of experimentation. Beginning in 1947, the photographer returned regularly to Paris to photograph Harper's Bazaar collections during HCFW, working with editors Carmel Snow, Diana Vreeland, and Nancy White, as well as designers such as Christian Dior, not only to create a bold new vision of the modern woman but also to restore the luster of the great city after World War II. Portraying models in movement and on the street, free from the constraints of the studio, he took many of his best-known photos in Paris, including "Dovima with the Elephants" (1955) and "Brigitte Bardot" (1959).
