rach:
portraits of samuel beckett by richard avedon, taken in paris in 1979. — samreich
(i also loved sam’s description of his affection for beckett, here.)
This was my favourite portrait in the Avedon exhibition at the SFMOMA. You can’t see it at this small a resolution, but Beckett’s eyes are blazing, and his fireworks hair and deep-set facial crags only serve to accentuate that.
The real great insight at play here, though, is Avedon’s choice to place that jolting portrait right next to a much milder portrait in which Beckett’s tucked his chin in and inclined his body inward, looking demure? tired? momentarily thoughtful? just more closed-off. That juxtaposition only serves to underscore the firebrand feel of the left portrait all the more, and I love love love it.
By the way, this post gives away one more precious identifying fact about myself: my approximate location. So now the attentive reader should know that I’m male, mostly straight, of Asian descent, and a resident of the San Francisco Bay Area. WILL I EVER REVEAL ANYTHING MORE?
