“I always thought of photography as a naughty thing to do,” said renowned photographer Diane Arbus. “That was one of my favorite things about it. When I first did it, I felt very perverse.”
Ansel Adams, another great practitioner of photography, was a bit less colorful in his praise of taking pictures, but then, he did prefer black and white:
“Photography is more than a medium for factual communication and ideas. It is a creative art.”
It feels a bit ironic that photography, a science and art in which images are captured, has inspired so much chatter, discussion, critical analysis and even gossip. A new exhibit at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, “XXc Icons of Photography,” will almost certainly generate a lot of local conversation, as some of the world’s most famous, groundbreaking, controversial and pioneering photos are gathered into a single exhibition.
Both Adams and Arbus are featured in the exhibit, all pieces on loan from a number of private exhibitions. Curated by the museum’s Executive Director, Linda Cano, the exhibit cuts a wide swath through numerous decades, styles and visual philosophies. Also on display are works by American fashion and portrait photographer Richard Avedon, Rolling Stone magazine’s Annie Leibovitz, French humanist Henri Cartier-Bresson, New Yorker architectural photographer Berenice Abbott, and African-American artist Carrie Mae Weems.
Though the best explanation of a photo is the photo itself, Cano has provided the Index-Tribune with some of her own words about pictures, offering the following verbal tour through some of her favorite images in the exhibition, which runs through Dec. 30.
“Annie Leibovitz: Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.” This stunning photograph is a departure for Leibovitz. She is known for intimate portraits of celebrities, but this image was taken when she wasn’t on assignment and she could photograph whatever she wanted.
“Yousuf Karsh: Georgia O’Keeffe.” Karsh photographed the great artist in a moment of thoughtful repose. The image is intimate, and offers a glimpse of an artist’s place in the world.
“Edward Weston: Pepper (Number 30).” Weston’s groundbreaking photograph represents a turn of creative thinking. In all its tonal perfection, this photograph conveys the possibility for the commonplace to become beautiful and wondrous, and hints at the very potential of fine art photography.
“Imogen Cunningham: Phoenix Recumbent.” Cunningham is a favorite of mine. “Phoenix Recumbent” is a fine example of her technical skill and artist’s eye. It is a glorious study of form, textures, lighting, tones and mood.
“Diane Arbus: A Castle in Disneyland, California.” Arbus is best known for photographing marginalized people and those on the fringe of society, but here she captures a dreamy, romantic image: a dramatically lit castle with swans floating in front. It begs the question: How does this square with the rest of her extreme subject matter?
“Garry Winogrand: John F. Kennedy, Democratic National Convention, Los Angeles, 1960.” This iconic image defines a historical event and an entire generation, and conjures up powerful meaning for untold millions of people. It represents a decisive moment in time that is embedded in our collective consciousness.
The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, 551 Broadway. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Email David at david.templeton@sonomanews.com.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: