Irving Penn died on October 7, 2009. For anyone who loves photography and art, Irving Penn’s work which is so clear, honest and elegant awakens all the senses. Penn worked in fashion photography, most notably for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, but his portraits of famous people are what stand out. His images are striking - striking for their black and white composition and for their intensity. It is as if the camera has become a mirror of the subject’s soul. Somehow Irving Penn, through all his talents, had a way of connecting with his subjects and revealing what is so special not just about the subject but about life. It is the power of connecting with others, of understanding each other, of taking the time to really hear each other and share in a way that gets to the essence of things: our joys, our concerns, our troubles and our passions.
A year or so ago there was a great exhibit at the JP Morgan Library called: Close Encounters. Irving Penn Portraits of Artists and Writers. As described the photographs were unbelievably magnetic. What I found as engaging was the clothing worn by Penn’s subjects, such as Truman Capote, Pablo Picasso, Yves Saint Laurent and others. Was it the times? Was it the artist being photographed? Was it somehow Penn’s sensitivity to fashion and design? Everyone was so smartly dressed. The silhouettes seemed so modern. You could almost touch each thread of fabric and see each shade of color, all in that rich black and white image.
Today, with everyone linked to screens and devices, seeing Penn’s images is not about looking at the past. It is much more about seeing how life can be seen. As seen through an artist’s eyes Penn’s subjects are revealed with a sense of beauty and refinement. What a gift he created and left to us. - Steven
Top left: Truman Capote; Top Right: Yves Saint Laurent; Middle left: Jasper Johns; Middle Right: Georgia O'Keefe
Bottom left: Jean Costeau; Bottom Right: Truman Capote. All photos by Irving Penn