The photographer Diane Arbus has always been a favorite artist of mine, so I am really excited about this new exhibit featuring more than 100 never-before-seen images of hers.
Her daughters, Doon and Amy, donated her photographs to the Met in the year of 2007.
The exhibition focuses on the first 7 years of her career, that takes place from 1956 – 1972. This is the period in which she developed the idiosyncratic style for which she is recognized, praised, criticized and copied.
Most of the images she took were in New York City where she lived and died. So, they are also a new glimpse into our past.
The exhibition will be on view at The Met Breuer through November 27, 2016.”
Diane Arbus was born in 1923, in New York City. She started her photographic career with her husband, Allan.Both hated the fashion industry, but did remarkable photoshoots for publications like Glamour, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.
When Arbus decided to quit commercial fashion photography, she roamed the streets of NY in search of intriguing people to shoot.
She is known for capturing moments with marginalized crowd. Arbus searched for gays, transgenders, dwarfs, nudists and other remarkable beings!
Her work is fantastic and shows the beauty of these communities. Of course, back then, society was not open minded to accept “different” people. Unfortunately her pictures were labeled as disturbing and strange.
She had her life portrayed by Nicole Kidman in the 2006 film, “Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus“. The film shows how she fell in love with Lionel Sweeney, her neighbor that suffered from a strange disease called Hypertrichosis. It’s an abnormal amount of hair growth all over the person’s body. The fictional character exemplifies all the people she’s photographed. In a way, they all tormented her life.
So, in 1971, Diane Arbus committed suicide, but her work just thundered out to the world in the upcoming years. To this date, she is a powerful name.
Plus, if you want further information on Diane Arbus’s work, Artsy has great information. You’ll find her bio, over 18 of her works, exclusive articles and up-to-date exhibition listings. This page also includes related artists and categories, allowing you to discover art beyond their Arbus’ page.
The Mission? To make all the world’s art accessible to anyone!
After the museum, you might want to grab something to eat. Try Uva that has some of the best truffle dishes. In the mood for an afternoon coffee? Try Bluestone Lane or the Brazilian Padoca Bakery.
Location: 945 Fifth Avenue (75th Street)
Text by our Contributor and friend: Jason Homa
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Diane Arbus
*Last Update on Feb/2020.*
