Shows & Exhibitions
Richard Avedon Exhibition To Open in Philadelphia, Its Only US Venue
The National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia (NMAJH) will be the only US venue to exhibit “Richard Avedon: Family affairs,” a collection of photographs from the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
The exhibition, which presents a comprehensive historical portrait of American cultural and political life during the late 1960s and 1970s, will be on view from April 1 through August 2.
Born in 1923 to a Jewish family, his father a Russian-born immigrant and his mother from New York, Avedon‘s characteristic images that blend high art and social commentary made him extremely sought after both in the fashion and art worlds.
“Family Affairs” features two portrait projects by the photographer. The first set presented is of four group portraits including a massive mural of the beat poet Allen Ginsberg and his family, and three additional portraits shown in a smaller scale: Andy Warhol with members of his factory; The Chicago Seven (see Court Ruling Paves Way for $2.5 Million Claim Over Damaged Richard Avedon Triptych) and The Mission Council, a group of military and government officials who oversaw the US’s participation in the Vietnam War.
The second part of the exhibition, titled “The Family,” will encompass 69 photographs Avedon took for Rolling Stone to cover the 1976 presidential election. Included in the show will be portraits of 1976 presidential candidates Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford; A.M. Rosenthal, managing editor of the New York Times (who urged the Times to publish the Pentagon Papers, the 7,000-page secret government history of the Vietnam War); and W. Mark Felt, later revealed to be the secret informant whom Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein referred to as “Deep Throat” during their investigation of the Watergate scandal.
To allow visitors to see “The Family” in its original form, NMAJH will also provide copies of the Rolling Stone issue for attendees to flip through as well as electronic versions that can be seen via a touchscreen.
In keeping with the times, the museum will also install a photo booth where visitors can create their own portraits to share on social media.
“Richard Avedon: Family Affairs” will be on view at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia from April 1–August 2.
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