Annie Leibovitz

Is it possible to see Iggy Pop, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Beck, Johnny Cash and the White Stripes all together in one place—outside of, say, the Grammy Awards or some star’s comeback show? Thanks to Annie Leibovitz and her photographic series “American Music”, we can. Her photographs offer a direct, quiet, and personal view of America’s great musicians. In this series, internationally renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz focuses for the first time on the single theme of portraying American music in all its power and all its varieties. Not only has she created portraits of musicians from her own country; she has also succeeded in bringing their music and passion, their style and unique qualities to life in her photographs. Through close observation of the person and the body engaged in passionate physical action before her, Leibovitz is able approach these stars without artificiality. The photos have nothing in common with typical stage photography. Leibovitz shows stars like the Roots rapping on a New York street corner with their friends, portrays the White Stripes looking like bizarre circus artists, and reveals Johnny Cash in melancholy harmony with his wife. And with these images she has created a broad panorama of life in a society deeply shaped by music and where musical lives are of vital importance. Including musicians on the street, stars in the studio, and people listening to music, Leibovitz’s photographs underscore the communicative power of music. Her pictures are alive with the spirit of blues, rock, and soul.