Last week I attended the exhibit of Richard Avedon photography at the SF MOMA. Avedon earned a reputation early in his career as a fashion photographer and is well known for his portraits of celebrities. If you live in SF you’ve probably noticed the banners for the exhibit hanging on lightposts around the city. These banners feature his photographs of Janis Joplin and Bjork. Unfortunate, I think in hindsight, as these banners detract from the exhibit more than anything. Yes, Avedon photographed some famous people, but his work is so multi-dimensional and exciting despite the notoriety of his subjects. Furthermore, it’s Avedon’s ability to tell a story through his portraits of the common person that is truly unique and exciting.

The exhibit starts with a room showcasing the genre of photography Avedon cut his teeth on: fashion. One quality that repeats itself among Avedon’s fashion photography is a dramatic sense of movement. Avedon managed to catch the models at the brink of the action, bringing the clothing to life and creating lively characters out of the models. The clothing drapes and moves flawlessly presenting lively silhouettes. The results are visually stunning from a commercial and fine art point of view, and brought Avedon a reputation that allowed him more creative freedom in the future.

Avedon’s success as a fashion photographer gave him liberty to expand as a fine artist. Between 1979 and 1984 he traveled the American west photo-documenting people living in desolate areas. By this time he had already shot many famous celebrities, but with these portraits he was celebrating the ordinary. He was showing the uncelebrated side of America, not glamorous Hollywood stars or high fashion supermodels. These are real people whose stories are told through stark black and white portraits shot against a plain white backdrop. Rarely do these people hold props, yet so much information can be gathered about them. Avedon has a knack for shooting people in such a way that they seem totally relaxed and natural. It’s as if they have their portraits shot every day. Their faces paint a picture of the landscape of the American west in a way rarely seen. Interesting also is the fact that the MOMA concurrently has an Ansel Adams exhibit on display showing the American west in an entirely different fashion.

My interest in photography is fickle and my attention span for portraiture is short, yet I found myself immersed in Avedon’s photography. Avedon is truly a master at his craft. The exhibit at the SF MOMA runs through November 29th, 2009 and is well worth a visit.