Via New York Times

“I know that the accident of my being a photographer has made my life possible.” – Richard Avedon

Richard Avedon died yesterday in San Antonio. He had suffered a stroke several days before when he was on assignment for The New Yorker.

The image you see below is an example of his exquisite portraiture work for the book project “The American West.” Today, I finally bought Laura Wilson's book, Avedon At Work, that describes this controversial project.

Be sure click on MULTIMEDIA on the right-hand side of the NYT page for links to Avedon's work and a review of Avedon's show by Michael Kimmelman.

Here is the Associated Press story about Richard Avedon's death.

Mark your calendars for October 12, 2004. Suketu Mehta whose most recent book about Bombay called Maximum City and Ram Rahman a visual artist based both in Delhi and New York will discuss their new work and remember Raghubir Singh at the Rubin Museum of Art.

Located at 150 W. 17th Street, the this presentation by Sepia International/The Alkazi Collection and co-sponsored by the South Asian Journalists Association begins at 7pm. Cost: $15

Critically acclaimed writer Suketu Mehta reads from his newly released book Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found (Knopf, 2004) in a presentation illustrated with images by the photographer Raghubir Singh (1942-1999); then, noted photographer Ram Rahman will present Singh's work in the context of international contemporary photography. Mehta and Rahman will also engage in a discussion focusing on Singh‚s life and accomplishments, as well as how the late photographer‚s innovative vision of India has helped shape the world's understanding of the South Asian nation and its complex culture.

I missed the opening reception of the Raghubir Singh Retrospective last night at Sepia International. But the show will go on through December 30. I'll be in NYC on October 15 conducting a one or two-day photography workshop for beginners and we may just amble over to the exhibit to soak up some inspiration. If you are interested in knowing more about this workshop, this is your chance to email me at: tiffinbox[at]pipalproductions[dot]com.

Here is what the press release says about the Raghubir Singh exhibit:

Sepia International is pleased to present a retrospective of 45 works by the late Raghubir Singh (1942-1999), a pioneer in color photography who helped to revive and redefine the medium in the 1970s. Singh, who was born in India and lived and worked in London, Paris, and New York, is known for dramatic – yet never sentimental – images of his homeland. His work transcends the label of “documentary photography” and features sweeping scenes and iconic symbols that offer viewers complex portraits of India that straddle the ancient and the modern, the intimate and the chaotic. The prints on view at Sepia from September 30-December 30, 2004 represent Singh‚s signature approach of dividing and organizing pictorial space, his subtle balance of muted tones and occasional bursts of vibrant hues, as well as his command of light. As the artist John Baldessari wrote of Singh, “He uses light in a way that appears holy. His employment of color should make some painters envious and his shifts in space call to mind Velazquez.”

I am drooling like Pavlov's dog.

InterFoto is the largest festival of professional photography in Russia, the Baltic States and CIS countries. In October 2004 it will celebrate its Tenth Anniversary by staging more then a dozen exhibitions and events in Moscow's Central House of Artists. We are expecting almost 18,000 participants to take part in an ambitious six-day program of exhibitions, master classes by world-famous photographers, portfolio reviews, panel discussions and presentations of the latest photography equipment.

The festival will be held at the famous Central House for Artists in Moscow and will run from October 13 through the 17th this year.

Reuters reports that Richard Avedon, 81, the famous fashion photographer, has suffered a stroke.

Avedon's photos, usually intimate, intense studies against a white backdrop, are often powerful statements of a person's persona. Among his most famous photos are portraits of Andy Warhol, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, the Duchess of Windsor and Truman Capote.

By some strange coincidence, I have sitting at home a documentary on Richard Avedon produced by PBS for their American Masters series. Also, here is Photo District News' gallery of Avedon's work from the 1960s. On my shopping list is a book on Avedon's technique. There is no doubt in my mind that he is a genuine master of his art. He found himself at the right place and at the right time and he worked very hard.

Pray!

Alfred Stieglitz, Walker Evans, Man Ray, Paul Strand and Ansel Adams will have permanent galleries at the National Gallery of Art.