Acclaimed as Avedon’s masterpiece, the series In the American West, 1979–1984 emerged from a commission by the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas, where it was exhibited in 1985; that same year Abrams published the photobook In the American West. For the first time in Spain, the 110 reference prints for this project are on view—these were selected and worked on by the artist himself in the darkroom for both the exhibition and the book.
In the American West arose at a decisive moment in the career of Richard Avedon (New York, 1923 – San Antonio, Texas, 2004), after decades devoted to fashion photography and portraits of public figures. When he began the project, Avedon had already exhibited at MoMA and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and was also a staff photographer for Vogue, who shot many of the magazine’s covers. Initially, the series sparked some controversy due to the stark contrast between his previous work and the anonymity of the individuals he now portrayed. The project reflected Avedon’s interest in addressing, through portraiture, a critical reflection on American society, leading him to focus on the working class of the American West. He expanded what was initially a much more limited project, ultimately creating an exceptional portrait of the human condition that, beyond its geographical and temporal context, is what In the American West represents.
The exhibition is organized by the Fondation Cartier-Bresson, Paris, in collaboration with Fundación Mapfre, with works on loan from The Richard Avedon Foundation.
Tickets can be purchased here.