RICHARD AVEDON IN PARIS

I am in Paris right now and i happen to be here at a good time. There are some amazing exhibitions going on right now. I have been running from gallery to art museums with much excitement!

This is Avedon's first exhibit in France, and its showing at teh Jeu de Paume. This Magor exhibition covers the whole career of Richard Avedon, starting with his first steps as a fashion photographer at the end of the Second World War. It traces the photographer's career begininng with his fashion work with Harper's Bazaar in the early 1940's which revolutionized fashion photography by bringing models out of the studios and in random locations, recreating and making moments and end with the American West images.

ITS AMAZING. Avedon is the reason why I am so passionate about photography. I know I like to throw that word around alot, but he is seriously...my idol. His work has inspired many other photographers in a way that no other photographer ever will. Avedon was part of a wave of American Photographers who came to Paris after WWII to photograph the European fashion collections. Noticably in the sixties he changed his approach and headed back to the studios using what became his trademark white background in order better highlight his subjects.

FAVORITE PRINTS IN THE EXHIBITION... his Suzy Parker Paris images from the late 40's, Marilyln Monroe (1957), William Burroughs (1977), his iconic Beatles (1967) portraits, Andy Warhol and Members of the Factory, New York (1969), and finally Dovima with Elephants (1955), which may well be one of the most famous fashion photographs of all time.
Also unforgettable was the commission in 1976 from Rolling Stone to photograph America's power elite for the magazine's special bicentennial edition. The sixty-nine photo series titled "The Family" is a flashback for anyone who lived during those times.

If you happen to be visiting Paris in the new few weeks, you should come and see in person the large format prints. Its one of the best exhibits I have ever seen in my lifetime.
Richard Avedon. Photographs 1946 - 2004" To Sept 28, Jeu de Paume, Concorde, 1, place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris, Open Tues. 12-9p,. Wed-Sat. 12-7pm, Sat-Sun 10-7pm. 7E/4E http://www.jeudepaume.org