Art History 101

3 Saatchi Art Artists Inspired by Richard Avedon

Born on May 15, 1923, Richard Avedon redefined portraiture for the modern era. His minimal portraits, stark yet provocative, captured some of the most important figures in the world. Figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Bob Dylan, and Marilyn Monroe all sat before his lens. Through his photography, Avedon explored humanity and his own personal connection to it. Of his works, he says:

“Sometimes I think all my pictures are just pictures of me. My concern is the human predicament; only what I consider the human predicament may simply be my own.”

His influence in photography is clearly evidenced in portrait photography throughout the late 20th and 21st century. In honor, of Avedon’s birthday, read on to take a look at three Saatchi Art artist whose work bears witness to Avedon’s legacy.

Richard Brocken

Avedon frequently captured tight frames of his subject’s face, catching each minute change in expression. Like Avedon, Richard Brocken photographs his daughter Eva in such comfort that her the subtleties in her expressions are amplified.

Javiera Estrada

Likewise, Javiera Estrada obtains a high-level of trust with her subjects before she photographs them. Her portraits of women on secluded beaches and in bedrooms are extremely intimate and tender, displaying a lost in inhibitions.

Gregory Prescott

Gregory Prescott seeks to capture the truest nature of his subjects. He is interested in showcasing his subject’s as they are, each line and each curve, the textures of their skin and hair, and both their strong and sensuous movements. He sees a person as not as one type but as many and pursues to capture it all.

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