San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Richard Avedon Photographs 1946-2004

July 11 - November 29, 2009

Richard Avedon, Dovima with Elephants, Evening Dress by Dior, Cirque d'Hiver, Paris, 1955; gelatin silver print; courtesy The Richard Avedon Foundation; © 2007 The Richard Avedon Foundation

Widely considered one of the greatest American photographers, Richard Avedon was among the first to challenge the conventional boundaries between studio photography and reportage. This exhibition presents more than 200 of his photographs, ranging from street scenes taken after World War II and images of the glamorous fashion world of 1950s Paris to a selection of his more recent and best-known works: portraits of artists, heads of state, and celebrities.

Avedon revolutionized celebrity portraiture by casting aside the stiffness and conventional poses typical of formal portraits in order to represent his often famous subjects as people with distinctive personalities. This presentation, the first major retrospective since Avedon's death in 2004, celebrates his unique vision and integral place in the history of photography.

For more information please visit SFMOMA Web site.