The Inner Path of Photography

Nice piece in the New Yorker today Sarah Boxer about Annie Leibovitz and her latest body of work and show, “Pilgrimage.”

Some thoughts that I particularly enjoyed:

“It is this physical, and yet somehow ghostly, aspect of photography—its “spooky action at a distance” quality (to quote Einstein out of context)—that gives photography its particular aura.” (On noticing that Leibovitz gets much closer to her subjects (dresses, desk, etc.) than usual, the effect this has on the photographic experience, and its sensate as well as spiritual impact.)

But maybe pure receptivity—becoming “a transparent eye-ball”—is what it takes to tap into what Emerson (another one of Leibovitz’s subjects and heroes) called “the currents of universal being.” (On Leibovitz’ comment, ““There was something beautiful about not being in control all the time. Not being totally proficient.”)

The book…the show… now on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum)…

Leibovitz has gone through a lot of changes in the last few years of her life. She’s still the artist, and still exploring.

Go Annie, go.

Read the article here…