Annie Leibovitz at Brooklyn Museum

[Stu W]

I saw the Annie Leibovitz collection at the Brooklyn Museum Of Art over the weekend. I realize many on the forum sort of consider her the Thomas Kincade of photography but I must admit I really enjoyed the collection (although my wife did not) Seeing large silver gelatin prints in person is nothing like looking at her coffee table books. Worth catching the show. Very impressive. Stu

 

[dll927]

I sometimes wonder whether to be impressed by Leibovitz. She has a reputation for being a B**** to work with/for, and regardless of what her prints may look like up for real, she has worked her way up to some pinnacle of high price and even higher ego.

 

[nightfly]

It's an interesting show in that I don't think you can deny how impressive her commercial work is on a strictly visual level (although you might find it souless) however those big landscapes and most of her personal work is really embarrasingly bad. I find it either quite brave or incredibly arrogant that she would display them in public really.

It really goes to show that commercial photography is a skillset that doesn't necessarily translate into other photographic forms.

Overall I enjoyed the show and probably will go back one day when it's less crowded to see the narrow hallway of all the work prints and contact sheets. It's always fascinating to me to see how photographers work and see how different the finished print is from the proofs. She really captures a Rembrantesque feel in some of her portraits that is very beautiful.

 

[agi]

I enjoyed the exhibit and one photograph in particular got to me. Her portrait of William Burroughs. The texture detail, the catch light deep into Burroughs sunken eyes, his expressive face, I thought it was amazing. It was like I was looking into the man himself, deep into his psyche (that's a scary thought huh?). To see it in person was a treat.

The exhibit that stole the show for me at Brooklyn was the Ron Mueck sculptures. Wow!

 

[nightfly]

Yes!

That William Burroughs portrait was awesome. I was actually quite taken with some of her black and white work though I'd always know her for her color work.

 

[amateriat]

I'll be checking out that exhibit soon. Mixed as my feeling are about AL, some of her work does truly stand out. I leafed through her book while hanging at the local Barnes & Noble the other night; certainly hit-and-miss, but worth a look. If someone gave the book, I'd graciously accept (and keep) it, but it probably wouldn't make my Top 10 photo books to shell out my own money for.


- Barrett