Much like those of Van Gogh, Picasso and Pollack, the average person Annie Leibovitz’s name is recognized by the average person. Even without her artistic byline, it is likely that her photographs are memorable enough for a person to remember a particularly powerful image in itself. But with the brand name of renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, her photographs are instantly respected.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art’s exhibit “Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life, 1990-2005” reminds us of the reasons behind Leibovitz’s success. With more than 200 works on display, the exhibit epitomizes Leibovitz’s range. She is not simply a photographer of portraits, landscapes or news — she is an artist who is able to see the world in a unique way and capture her perspective through the lens of a camera.
Leibovitz began her career as a portrait photographer in the 1970s for Rolling Stone magazine and immediately redefined the role of an assignment photographer by consistently developing a close collaboration between herself as the artist and her subject. She went on to work with Vanity Fair and Vogue, expanding her already impressive portfolio of portraits and photo essays, filled with images of public figures and historical events.
Leibovitz marked herself as an important figure in the larger artistic world with a stunning nude portrait of the pregnant Demi Moore, featured on the cover of the August 1991 issue of Vanity Fair. When Paramount Pictures commissioned a parody photograph, Leibovitz sued for copyright infringement and established the validity of her photography.
At the gallery, visitors examine the collection with various emotions. There are expressions of recognition upon the faces of those who previously did not know Leibovitz’s name as they lay eyes on familiar images. There are faces of nostalgia when viewers see captivating photographs of past events, such as the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. There are looks of awe among those viewing images of vivid landscapes of places from upstate New York to the deserts of Jordan.
Even in a collection that includes powerful images such as some from the siege of Sarajevo, possibly the most emotional of the photographs are those from Leibovitz’s personal collection. Among portraits of handsome celebrities, champion athletes and powerful politicians are equally beautiful pictures of her family and close friends. Images from some of the most intimate moments of her life show that her artistic perspective is present at all times, not just while on assignment. From the birth of her daughters to personal vacations, the emotion that Leibovitz is able to capture extends beyond the frame of her photographs. She saw pride in Clinton’s election to the Senate and in the relationship between her own father and her brother; she saw beauty in the landscape of the western United States and her family’s reunion; she saw perseverance in Olympic athletes and in her daughters’ growth.
The creativity with which Leibovitz captures emotion alters the way we examine her photographs. Even in a simple advertising campaign, the originality that Leibovitz brings to the work is evident — it is the difference between showing a product and telling its story. Her consistently imaginative takes on even simple fashion magazine stories prove that she was not hired to photograph just a celebrity or the clothing. In a spread for Vogue, Leibovitz used a Wizard of Oz theme, starring Kiera Knightly, to incorporate various emotions, interesting poses and whimsical backgrounds into what would have otherwise been a standard fashion shoot. Similarly, her photographs of her family are somehow distinctly more compelling than the pictures we take of our own family and friends. It is this indescribable talent for capturing emotion at its peak that has established Leibovitz as a respected and captivating artist. The exhibit will intrigue those interested in photography, popular culture and politics — a dynamic that results in a truly unique experience of an art event.
“Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life, 1990-2005” is at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, located at 500 17th St., NW. Admission is $10 for students. This is the last weekend to visit the exhibit.