Annie Leibovitz, Amy Sherald, Columbus, Georgia, 2022. Photo courtesy of the artist ©Annie Leibovitz.
Major installation features new, never-before-seen photographs alongside iconic images selected by the artist.
BENTONVILLE, AR — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is pleased to debut Annie Leibovitz at Work, an installation of photographs by one of the most influential artists of our time. On view September 16, 2023 through January 29, 2024, Annie Leibovitz at Work will premiere at Crystal Bridges before embarking on a four-city tour across the nation.
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Comprised of new and rarely-seen recent photographs integrated with many images made during Leibovitz’s legendary career, which spans half a century now, Annie Leibovitz at Work is the artist’s first major museum exhibition in a decade. It is a personal view of a body of work famous for the number of important public figures who are part of it: artists, actors, musicians, politicians, athletes, architects, business leaders. Included are portraits of Cindy Sherman, Lizzo, LeBron James, Presidents Obama and Biden, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Rihanna, Dolly Parton, Shonda Rhimes, Tom Ford, and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The images in the show are seen in prints on paper and on high-tech digital display screens.
“This was an opportunity to do something that I couldn’t do for anyone else,” said Annie Leibovitz.
Annie Leibovitz has made some of the most recognizable portraits in American life. They are immediately identifiable and imprinted on our consciousness. Her eye and theatrical instincts and wit are legendary, but she doesn’t have just one technique or style or look. She has explored many ways to make a photograph. What is consistent is the level of intimacy. It is a quality that is evident in the early black-and-white work as well as in the more conceptual, painterly portraits of the later years.
Leibovitz’s importance was established in the ‘70s, when she was Rolling Stone’s chief photographer. She was young and enmeshed in the volatile cultural upheavals of the time. In the early ‘80s, she began working for Vanity Fair and then Vogue, expanding her repertoire of subjects and becoming established as the portraitist of nearly everyone who did something interesting. In 1991, she became the first female artist to have a solo show at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. She has received many honors, including lifetime achievement awards from the International Center of Photography and the Académie des beaux-arts in Paris. She has been designated a living legend by the Library of Congress.
“We’re honored to showcase the exceptional work of Annie Leibovitz, an artist with an extraordinary vision and legacy,” said Olivia Walton, board chair for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. “Annie’s photographs capture our nation’s diverse culture, history, and people, while serving as a powerful reflection of the American experience. As a museum situated in the Heartland of America, we are dedicated to presenting work that fosters a deeper sense of identity and connection for visitors in this region – and across the country.”
Curated by Alejo Benedetti, acting curator of contemporary art at Crystal Bridges, Annie Leibovitz at Work will travel to four additional venues: The Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC; Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, CA; Frist Art Museum in Nashville, TN; and Wichita Art Museum in Wichita, KS.
“Annie Leibovitz at Work is a bold re-examining of the artist’s practice. This is Annie criss-crossing her legendary career in a deeply personal and self-reflective way in order to give a peek into her mind at work. ” said Benedetti. “The result is a tour de force filled to the brim with an intimacy and clarity of vision that could only come from Annie herself.”
Tickets to the exhibition are $12 for adults. Members, SNAP participants, Veterans, and youth 18 and under are free. To purchase a ticket, please visit the museum’s website. SNAP participants, please call (479) 657-2335 to enroll for free entry to temporary exhibitions.
In conjunction with the exhibition, Crystal Bridges will also host The Party on September 14, bringing together national and regional guests, art industry professionals, cultural icons, and social influencers for an energetic evening to raise funds for the museum’s art education programs. In addition to table and ticket sales, the event will include an auction with items available for bid. Inspired by Leibovitz’s legacy and produced by acclaimed party planner Van Wyck & Van Wyck, The Party promises to be an intriguing mix of high and low, casual and opulent, expected and unexpected in everything from the entertainment and décor to the food and the attire.
For more information on the exhibition and its upcoming programming, please visit the exhibition page.
Sponsors
Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation | Stout Executive Search | Visit Bentonville | Architectural Digest | ConAgra | Pat Cooper | JT and Imelda Rose | Phillips | Ramsay, Jaquita, and Sarah Ball | Beverly and Bill Bickell | Gelmart | Brenda and Willie Godwin | Marybeth and Micky Mayfield | Deborah Wright | Donna and Mack McLarty | Cardinal Four Foundation | Gretel
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About Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
The mission of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to welcome all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Since opening in 2011, the museum has welcomed more than 10.8 million visitors across its spaces, with no cost for admission. Crystal Bridges was founded in 2005 as a non-profit charitable organization by arts patron and philanthropist, Alice Walton. The collection spans five centuries of American masterworks from early American to current day and is enhanced by temporary exhibitions. The museum is nestled on 120 acres of Ozark landscape and was designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. A rare Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house was preserved and relocated to the museum grounds in 2015. Crystal Bridges offers public programs including lectures, performances, classes, and teacher development opportunities. Some 300,000 school children have participated in the Willard and Pat Walker School Visit program, which provides educational experiences for school groups at no cost to the schools. Additional museum amenities include a restaurant, gift store, library, and five miles of art and walking trails. In February 2020, the museum opened the Momentary in Downtown Bentonville (507 SE E Street), conceived as a platform for the art, food, and music of our time. For more information, visit CrystalBridges.org. The museum is located at 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712.
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