William Eggleston: Democratic Camera at The Whitney

Photographer William Eggleston got famous in 1976 when his photographs—derided by art snobs for their bold departure from black and white—were exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art. According to the Times, the controversial show, with its emphasis on the lifestyles of everyday Southern folk, was received with such dismissive comments as "Perfectly banal, perfectly boring." Now, of course, his work is considered iconic, and the photos' abiding popularity is due in no small part to Eggleston's costly use of the dye transfer printing method, which yields stunning colors.

The Whitney has just opened Eggleston's first New York museum solo show since his MoMA debut. Called "William Eggleston: Democratic Camera, Photographs and Video, 1961-2008," the expansive retrospective covers the beginnings of his career some fifty years ago to the present day, and includes more than 150 photographs, some never-before-exhibited, as well as the rarely screened video diary of Eggleston's "legendary nocturnal wanderings," Stranded in Canton.

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By John Del Signore in Arts and Events on November 10, 2008 2:44 PM

Comments [rss]

mississippiqueen

the difference between eggleston and trustafarians is that he actually made an effort to contibute something to the art world. i don't hold his family history against him; he could do worse with his money.

nice job

#4 what a beautiful poem. u should rite a boook

west side Michael

This work takes about a 100th of a second to

comprehend,wow!then boredom.

More crap in the photoart world.

I never knew he had family money.

In the 1950's I worked shooting famous painting's

making the color seperations through red ,blue and

green filters onto 8x10 inch glass plates using dozens of 500 watt lamps to light each painting.

Now when we got to the blue filter

after opening the shutter we would just

leave the artwork being photographed for a few

hours go to the "African room bar" on 3rd

avenue and a few drinks.I signed my name once

on the rear of a Modiglianl painting belonging

to a board member of the Museum of Modern Art in

pencil ,it was a flirtation from my adolescence.

Notation:

We were the photographers for Life magazine that

were first to photograph Salvadore Dali's commissioned painting "Christopher Columbus" for

the Hunting Hartford museum on Colubus Circle

that took us all day ,one painting color seperated

onto glass plates ,12 hours.Dat waz COLOUR,baby colour!

From the diaries of an old photographer( before

digital review/correction was the norm).

by Westside Michael

NannyState

^ Family wealth is the difference between a successfull artist and that guy that stares off into space at work.

dr zippy

I really enjoyed the Eggleston show, especially his video of guys biting the heads off chickens. Hipster haters won't like the show though. Eggleston was a trustafarian, though one that stayed in Memphis. He took advantage of his family wealth and lack of need to have a job to make art.