Oct 272012
Women
The photographs by Annie Leibovitz in Women, taken especially for the book, encompass a broad spectrum of subjects: a rap artist, an astronaut, two Supreme Court justices, farmers, coal miners, movie stars, showgirls, rodeo riders, socialites, reporters, dancers, a maid, a general, a surgeon, the First Lady of the United States, the secretary of state, a senator, rock stars, prostitutes, teachers, singers, athletes, poets, writers, painters, musicians, theater directors, political activists, per
List Price: $ 60.00
Price: $ 30.38
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A surprise treat,
I was browsing through a bookstore, waiting for my kids to get done with Boy Scouts, not looking for anything in particular, when I spied “Women” on a shelf near an easy chair. The plain cover of this large book intrigued me so I started to skim through the book. After about a minute, I sat down and spent 45 more minutes going through the book, page by page. I had never heard of the book and only vaguely know the authors from popular culture, but I’m hooked now. As a busy working mother I don’t usually have the time to spend enjoying fine art, photography, or coffee table books. I have to say that this is an inspiring piece of work that had me so engaged in some of the photos that I conjured up my own life stories for these women in my mind and thought about what their real life is like, how to meet them, etc. Annie’s photographs really spoke to me.
I heartily recommend this book — it’s food for the soul. I only regret that I paid so much for the book that night (I had to give it to my best friend the next day).
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|“WOMEN” is Challenging, Purposeful,
I’d give Leibovitz four stars for the sole reason that she tackled “WOMEN” as a concept.
How does one portray “WOMEN” completely? It’s as daunting and impossible as stating that one can portray “ETERNITY” or “LIFE” or “TRUTH” in their fullest senses.
There are those that have argued that Leibovitz’s book gives preferential treatment to some subjects, while demeaning or diminishing others. For example, the photos of famous women are often glossy, flattering, and classically “pretty,” while the photos of non-famous women are more often stark, harsh, and jolting to the senses.
I do not disagree.
What comes into question, however, is our definition of beauty. Society tells us that Drew Barrymore sprawled on the ground is beautiful. A group of coal-blackened female miners is not. That’s society talking, not Annie Leibovitz – and certainly not the individual reader/viewer.
Instead, I choose to think that what Leibovitz was trying to do with “WOMEN” was to challenge these stereotypes and expectations. On every page, she attempts to portray the essence of the women she is photographing. For a Hollywood actress, that may very well mean a glamorous, “pretty” setting. For Helene Grimaud, it’s a piano. For Wendy Suzuki, it’s a scientific laboratory, and for Lenda Murray, it’s a Ms. Olympia costume. Instead of labeling and sorting these images, (as society is often apt to do), Leibovitz presents them one after another in a colossal photographic accomplishment she calls “WOMEN.”
No, she doesn’t manage to express the concept completely. I doubt if anyone could. But she does manage to challenge, enlighten, and empower her readers/viewers with her portrayal of the diverse women she selected to photograph.
For me, that in itself is beautiful.
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|Sontag and Leibovitz have created a paean to womanhood!,
I purchased a copy of this book as a gift for a family member, but when it arrived, I could not resist removing the shrink wrap. The rest is history; I was profoundly moved by the selection and editing process which must have gone into this book. While not one given to femi-babble, I have to say that this splendid photography and essay empower every American woman to be and do whatever it is that she wants to be and do. What a wonderful way to start or end a millennium! (Of course, I had to come back to Amazon for additional copies!)
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