Famed photographers' work displayed
By Winkie Lee
Published in News on December 29, 2005 1:45 PM
Photographs by three of the world's most famous photographers will be featured in an exhibit at the Arts Council of Wayne County Jan. 9-31.
Canadian-born photographer Yousuf Karsh was internationally known for his portraits of heads of state, scientists, musicians, artists and others, including, according to the Web site, Wikipedia, more than half of the people named by the 2000 International Who's Who as the most notable people of the 20th century. His best-known portrait was that of Winston Churchill, which was taken in Ottawa, Canada, in 1941. Karsh died in 2002.
Ernst Haas, 1921-1986, showed the world what could be done with color photography. Among his achievements was getting a 24-page spread of his photos of New York in Life magazine and producing five books of his pictures. Kodak created a process of developing film strictly for this Austrian photographer, who is quoted as saying that the only limitation in photography is oneself, "for what we see is what we are."
Annie Leibovitz has made her reputation with portraits that show something about her subjects' personalities. Among her works was the last portrait made of John Lennon hours before he was murdered in front of his home.
Gallery hours are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. An opening reception will be held Friday, Jan. 13, from 6 until 8 p.m. at the Arts Council building at 2406 E. Ash St.
The photographs are owned by Dr. Ernest Marshall, who headed up the Arts Council's first photo competition in November.
He wants to display the photos to show people that photography is an art form that shows and interprets life.
It is Marshall's hope that people who attend the show will better appreciate photography as art and that photographers who attend will feel inspired.
The exhibit will feature Karsh's 1957 portrait of Ernest Hemingway; 10 pictures from Haas' 1981 book, "The Creation"; and portraits of Reese Witherspoon and mother/daughter Blythe Danner and Gwyneth Paltrow by Annie Leibovitz.
The exhibit will be on display upstairs and will include written narratives about the pictures and photographers.
Downstairs will be an exhibit of work by amateur and professional photographers from Wayne County and beyond. The exhibit is open to those interested in bringing one or two of their photographs for display. Photos must be framed, wired and ready to hang. They should be no smaller than 8 inches by 10 inches and should have been taken within the past two years.
Photographs should be for sale, and the Arts Council will keep a 30-percent commission.
The Arts Council will accept the photographs at the art center Monday through Friday, Jan. 2 through 6, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Unsold work should be picked up on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.
More information can be obtained by calling 736-3300.
The January exhibits mark the first time the Arts Council has devoted a month to the photographic arts, Marshall said. He is encouraging people to bring their families and friends to the exhibits.
"I hope this is going to bring to light the fact that there are a lot of photographers in (this county, both) professional and amateur," he said.