Diane Arbus
(March 14, 1923 – July 26, 1971) was an American photographer
and writer noted for photographs of deviant and marginal people
(dwarfs, giants, transgender people, nudists, circus performers) or
of people whose normality seems ugly or surreal.
Photographer
Diane Arbus's distinctive portraits showed the world how crazy (and
beautiful) New Yorkers were in the 1950s and '60s. She was married to
actor Allan Arbus.
Synopsis
Diane
Arbus was born on March 14, 1923, in New York City. An artistic
youth, she learned photography from her husband, actor Allan Arbus.
Together, they found success with fashion work, but Diane soon
branched out on her own. Her raw, unusual images of the people she
saw while living in New York created a unique and interesting
portrayal of the city. She committed suicide in New York City in
1971.
Early Life
Born
Diane Nemerov on March 14, 1923, in New York City, Diane Arbus was
one of the most distinctive photographers of the 20th
century, known for her eerie portraits and off-beat subjects. Her
artistic talents emerged at a young age, having created interesting
drawings and paintings while in high school. In 1941, she married
Allan Arbus, an American actor who fostered her artistic talent by
teaching her photography.
Unique Photography
Working
with her husband, Diane Arbus started out in advertising and fashion
photography. She and Allan became quite a successful team, with
photographs appearing in such magazines as Vogue.
In the late 1950s, she began to focus on her own photography. To
further her art, Arbus studied with photographer Lisette Model around
this time.
During
her wanderings around New York City, Arbus began to pursue taking
photographs of people she found. She visited seedy hotels, public
parks, a morgue and other various locales. These unusual images had a
raw quality, and several of them found their way into the July 1960
issue of Esquire
magazine. These photographs proved to be a spring board for future
work.
By the
mid-1960s, Diane Arbus had become a well-established photographer,
participating in shows at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City,
among other places. She was known for going to great lengths to get
the shots she wanted. She became friends with many other famous
photographers, including Richard Avedon and Walker Evans.
Suicide
While
professionally continuing to thrive in the late 1960s, Arbus had some
personal challenges. Her marriage to Allan Arbus ended in 1969, and
she later struggled with depression. She committed suicide in her New
York City apartment on July 26, 1971. Her work remains a subject of
intense interest, and her life was the basis of the 2006 film Fur,
starring Nicole Kidman as Arbus.
