I loved reading about your experience of witnessing the exhibition. I wish I could have seen it in person, but from your account, I feel like I was there. Admittedly, I need to look at more Arbus. I've always been mesmerized by her work, the bit I've seen.
As an art dealer I sold Albno Sword Swallower and I am sorry I didn't buy it for myself at it's aristry remains imy favorite Arbus. It is composed in such a painterly way that it radiates beauty. The flowing tent and her hair as well as the image are memorable
"In her hands, the desire to be beautiful or glamorous reads as pathetic, a desperate scrambling for something, a sham." I disagree with this assertion. Rather than belittle desires for, or ideals of, beauty or glamour, Arbus expands our sense of these qualities, both natural and socially constructed. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this exhibition.
Wow. First time reading you and this is a knockout review/think piece/essay. Brava! Thorough, well written, and wise - all you would want in writing. Thank you!
I saw a small collection of her works (Artist Rooms) at the Shetland Museum recently, presented more traditionally in a white space. I found them both powerful and poignant.
Absolutely fascinating insight into the exhibition, the vagaries of the discussion around her images do not seem to have changed form New Documents to Constellation - something you intelligently bookended this with. I love the idea of this exhibition, the physicality of it, the emotion strain matched by the physical. I just wish I had been in Arles to see it, well, to the festival in Arles at all over the years to be honest. One day maybe. (Hmm... good name for a newsletter...?)
Thank you for all your writing over the last year. Yours is one of my 'must read' newsletters than come into my inbox. I appreciate your effort in balancing this with your commissioned and other photography. All the best for another year of interloping...
I loved reading about your experience of witnessing the exhibition. I wish I could have seen it in person, but from your account, I feel like I was there. Admittedly, I need to look at more Arbus. I've always been mesmerized by her work, the bit I've seen.
As an art dealer I sold Albno Sword Swallower and I am sorry I didn't buy it for myself at it's aristry remains imy favorite Arbus. It is composed in such a painterly way that it radiates beauty. The flowing tent and her hair as well as the image are memorable
"In her hands, the desire to be beautiful or glamorous reads as pathetic, a desperate scrambling for something, a sham." I disagree with this assertion. Rather than belittle desires for, or ideals of, beauty or glamour, Arbus expands our sense of these qualities, both natural and socially constructed. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this exhibition.
Wow. First time reading you and this is a knockout review/think piece/essay. Brava! Thorough, well written, and wise - all you would want in writing. Thank you!
I saw a small collection of her works (Artist Rooms) at the Shetland Museum recently, presented more traditionally in a white space. I found them both powerful and poignant.
Absolutely fascinating insight into the exhibition, the vagaries of the discussion around her images do not seem to have changed form New Documents to Constellation - something you intelligently bookended this with. I love the idea of this exhibition, the physicality of it, the emotion strain matched by the physical. I just wish I had been in Arles to see it, well, to the festival in Arles at all over the years to be honest. One day maybe. (Hmm... good name for a newsletter...?)
Thank you for all your writing over the last year. Yours is one of my 'must read' newsletters than come into my inbox. I appreciate your effort in balancing this with your commissioned and other photography. All the best for another year of interloping...
Congratulations. For the year and for the fantastic post