The Photographs of Irving Penn
de Young Museum Exhibition shines a light on the fashion photographer.
I have always loved street photography instead of landscape and posed portrait photography. I know that photographers who practiced in the landscape and portrait genre are some of history’s most outstanding photographers. However, I have always preferred street photographers. Even an inexperienced or unskilled photographer can take a stunning street photograph. The unplanned, unscripted moment makes street photography more compelling for me. Taking pictures, sometimes serendipitously, can seem intrusive or, worse, occasionally voyeuristic. However, sometimes, the means justify the artistic results.
Irving Penn was an influential fashion photographer during the iconic 1950s and the late 1960s. When I think of a Penn photograph, I think of Audrey Hepburn’s simple elegance in those stark, minimalist black-and-white photographs. For years, his iconic photographs graced the cover and pages of Vogue magazine.
Penn experimented with different photographic techniques throughout his career, including platinum printing and natural light. He also had a profound interest in ethnographic studies and photographed indigenous people in various countries, further showcasing his versatility and depth as a photographer.
I visited the de Young Museum in San Francisco this spring, where they held an exhibition of Penn’s work. The exhibition included 175 photographs spanning Penn’s 70-year career. Works included documentary scenes, celebrity portraits, and workers with the tools of their trade, to abstract nudes.
Irving Penn’s ethnographic studies represent this exhibition’s significant and fascinating aspect. In the 1960s and 1970s, Penn traveled to remote regions worldwide, aiming to document the diverse cultures and peoples he encountered. His ethnographic work is noted for its respectful and dignified portrayal of indigenous communities, capturing their unique customs, attire, and way of life.
Throughout his ethnographic studies, Penn consistently respected his subjects. He approached each portrait with an artist’s eye for detail and a humanist’s empathy, avoiding the exoticism and stereotyping that often marred ethnographic photography of the time. His images are celebrated for their artistic merit and anthropological significance, illuminating the world’s diverse cultures.
His work was interesting enough to me. I was even inspired by some of it. It is understandable why he occupies a prominent position in the history of photography. But, I was not very keen on any of the ethnic photographs. His idea to show the dignity of indigenous people worldwide was a great concept. However, when I watched those staged photographs of the indigenous people in their native attire, I did not see what he was trying to convey; I saw people photographed outside of their natural environment, which takes away the sincerity of the poses. And the Dahomey women (or any person with brown skin) still seem a little sexualized. This view may come from my experience of watching documentaries and magazines that were quick to show undressed African women, but not many European women received such exposure. I am not made at Penn. The important thing is that I know Penn meant well, even though I am unsure of the results.
He also did some experimental work that was mediocre at best. But in the pages of Vogue, he left a permanent mark that inspired many photographers (as well as many imitators). Anyone who considers themselves a serious photographer should study the work of Irving Penn.
