50 Photographs is a photo book by American visual artist Jessica Lange, published by powerHouse Books on November 18, 2008. Featuring an introduction written by the National Book Award-winner Patti Smith, the art work distributed by Random House is the official debut of Lange as a photographer.

Background Before engulfing herself in an acting career, Lange studied art and photography at the University of Minnesota, as well made a few documentary films in Europe in the late 1960s. While at the university, she formed a relationship with photographer Francisco "Paco" Grande. The pair married in 1970 and Lange dropped out of the school in favor of travelling with Grande throughout the United States. Their relationship would eventually end in 1981, however.

She returned to photography many years later, when her latter partner Sam Shepard brought home from a movie set a Leica camera. After three decades in front of the cameras, she then rehabilitated her former dream of being on the other side of the lens, initially photographing her children.

Development Approximately five years before her first set saw its eventual release, Lange showed some of her work to French film photographer Brigitte Lacombe that began her campaign in 1975, as well to Wim Wenders' wife Donata who also became involved in visual arts herself. Encouraged with both fellow artists to "think bigger", she thus started printing at a professional lab and decided to release a book of her own pictures. When I first showed them to Brigitte Lacombe, she said to me, 'Oh, Jessie. Why are you still so lonely?' And [I] realized that I'm attracted to people in solitary situations that are evocative of lonesomeness.

Her collection of fifty black-and-white studies of unknown people and far-away places was published under title 50 Photographs through powerHouse Books on November 18, 2008, and along with a special contribution written by Patti Smith (pictured top right).

Titled and signed by the actress au verso in pencil, all the pictures were shot mostly during Lange's considerable travels in such places as Ethiopia, Mexico, Romania and Russia. Some of them though, were also taken in the northern part of her native Minnesota and in New York, respectively.

Art exhibitions

2008–2009: United States

Howard Greenberg Gallery Lange's first art exhibition took place at Howard Greenberg Gallery, located on the northeast corner at 41-45 East 57th Street and Madison Avenue in a tower block known for housing a number of important galleries in N.Y.C., New York. A member of the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD), originally known as Photofind (1981), the Midtown's gallery in demonstrates photojournalism and street photography covering a variety of other genres, such as contemporary photography, Photo-Secession (Camera Work), vintage prints (Time, LIFE), in addition to styles spanning from pictorialism to modernism.

Her exhibit entitled Jessica Lange: Photographs, introduced twenty-nine black-and-white pictures, all being displayed on the Howard Greenberg Gallery's main space from November 26, 2008 until January 10 the following year. Some of the Paul Strand's work took by himself in the northern region of Africa, served as an instrumental thematic show.

Butler Institute of American Art

Lange was the guest of honor for the 50th anniversary of the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio, where her 50 Photographs exhibition was on display from May 12 to July 5, 2009. In the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Tim Ryan noted that "The collection of her photographs shown here at the Butler capture a range of diverse subject matter from her years of travel. Due to her artistic vision, we are able to be a part of a fifteen year trek from Romania to Ethiopia and back to her home state of Minnesota."

Rosegallery Shortly after the release of her latest TV film, Grey Gardens (2009), Lange's images received their exposure on July 14 through ROSEGALLERY at Bergamot Station, placed in a Santa Monica's art complex on Michigan Avenue. Founded in 1991, the gallery carries a lineup of diverse modern and contemporary artists.

A thirty-one photograph show simply named Jessica Lange, was co-produced by Howard Greenberg Gallery and Motion Picture & Television Fund in common. Lange attended a reception which followed four days later.

George Eastman House In an attempt to showcase more visual liberties, George Eastman House - International Museum of Photography & Film in Rochester, NY enhanced her photographic work with the retrospective series of her five feature films Jessica Lange Thursdays, screening her performances delivered for The Postman Always Rings Twice (on July 2), Tootsie (on July 9), Music Box (on July 16), Blue Sky (on July 23) and Titus (on July 30). Besides, a tribute evening was held at Dryden Theater on July 25, preceded with a Lange's personal presentation of her then current movie release, Grey Gardens. As a result, she was given the first George Eastman House Honors Award ever that night.

Lange's second museum venue named after her book occurred on July 18, demonstrating thirty-three photos taken from the publication. The show was opened to public by September 20, 2009.

A Gallery for Fine Photography The venue for the fifth and final promo exhibition of Lange's premier monograph became A Gallery for Fine Photography, based in the French Quarter at 241 Chartres Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. Another member of AIPAD, the gallery presents contemporary and classic photography from the 19th, 20th and 21st century.

Year Title Duration Ref Reception Opening – Closing 2008 Jessica Lange: Photographs November 26 – January 10, 2009 Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York City, New York, US Her premiere public exhibition promoted 29 black-and-white photos, all taken from the volume 50 Photographs. (A secondary running exposition, North Africa 1959–1963, presented a work by Paul Strand.) 2009 Jessica Lange: 50 Photographs† May 28, 2009 May 12 – July 5, 2009 Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio, US Jessica Lange July 18, 2009 July 14 – September 12, 2009 ROSEGALLERY, Santa Monica, California, US The subsequent exhibit was arranged in collaboration with Howard Greenberg Gallery and Motion Picture & Television Fund. This time around, 31 black-and-white pictures by Lange were reportedly on display. 50 Photographs by Jessica Lange July 25, 2009 July 18 – September 20, 2009 George Eastman House, Rochester, New York, US Lange's second museum exposure took place in Entrance Gallery of the home to 535-seat repertory theater Dryden. The 33 photo-display financed by Woods Oviatt Gilman, preceded her five film series Jessica Lange Thursdays sponsored by First Niagara Financial Group. Part of the event featured a sold-out tribute evening. 50 Photographs by Jessica Lange October 3, 2009 October 3 – December 31, 2009 A Gallery for Fine Photography, New Orleans, Louisiana, US † denotes an exhibition with free admission.

Other appearances

Art fairs and festivals Year Title Duration Ref Reception Opening – Closing 2010 AP' art July 6, 2010 July 8–13, 2010 Saint-Rémy-de-Provence/Alpilles, France, EU The first edition of the Festival international d'art contemporain, Alpilles-Provense'art presented also Lange's artwork under title L'artiste <<outsider>> 2010 in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France. 2011 photo la XX + art la projects January 13, 2011 January 14–17, 2011 Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, California, US The 20th anniversary edition of the largest photo-based art fair in the country, displaying contemporary photography, video and multimedia. Founded by Stephen Cohen, the 2011's expo was co-held by photo l.a. altogether with artLA projects. Upon invitation only.

Reception

Critical response Selections from her premiere photo-book were initially published in the spring 2007 issue of Aperture. The magazine devoted to fine art photography then wrote: "Jessica's photographs very much reflect her personality. They are delicate, but powerful... loving, warm, and extremely poetic."

Awards Year Nominated work Award Category Result Ref 2009 Herself George Eastman House Honors Award Lifetime achievement Awarded for her contribution to cinema and photography.

Commercial performance According to an article published by the online art magazine artnet on December 4, 2008, 50 Photographs sold out its initial printing in a two-week period since the official release.

Samples "California" "Mexico" "Minnesota" "Montana"

See also Jessica Lange awards Jessica Lange bibliography Jessica Lange discography Jessica Lange filmography

Footnotes

References

Sources

External links

Photo-book (official website on powerHouse Books) Jessica Lange - 50 Photographs (official website on Random House) Art exhibitions Jessica Lange - Jessica Lange: Photographs at Howard Greenberg Gallery Jessica Lange - Jessica Lange at ROSEGALLERY Jessica Lange - 50 Photographs by Jessica Lange at A Gallery for Fine Photography Jessica Lange - 50 Photographs by Jessica Lange at George Eastman House