Sir Laurence Olivier is pictured as the character Archie Rice in this 1957 photograph by Lord Snowdon, which will be on display in the British Art Center's next exhibit.

Exhibit recalls Snowdon's 'irreverent' photographic visions

Lord Snowdon, one of Britain's leading photographers, once described his role as an artist by saying, "You have to strip people of their poses and disguises." Works he has created with that goal in mind are on view in the Yale Center for British Art's newest exhibition, "Photographs by Snowdon: A Retrospective," which will run June 16 through Sept. 2. Organized by London's National Portrait Gallery, the exhibit features over 180 works by Snowdon, who is renowned especially for his humorous and irreverent fashion photographs and portrayals of the socially prominent. Also on display will be some of Snowdon's documentary photographs and photojournalism. In conjunction with the exhibit, Snowdon will speak informally about his work on June 15 at 5:15 p.m. at the center. This event is also offered as part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas. "Photographers set the tone and carry the tune and atmosphere of the times," says Patrick McCaughey, director of the Yale Center for British Art. "Snowdon caught the swinging '60s of London better than any photographer and has continued to be the poet and recorder of London as a center of artistic and creative vitality." Born as Anthony Armstrong-Jones, the photographer became the Earl of Snowdon when he married Princess Margaret in 1960. The couple later divorced. For over 50 years he photographed leading figures in the world of art for Vogue, Vanity Fair and London's Telegraph magazine. Early in his career, Snowdon deliberately moved away from the stately English version of fashion and theatrical photography in search of images with more candor. "I am always suspicious if photographs are too beautiful," he claimed. Thus, he used a miniature camera to photograph artists, writers, actors, designers -- and both "nobles" and "commoners" -- to create portraits that were more intimate, intense and informal. For example, he captured historian and spy Anthony Blunt with a slide reflected on his eyeball, and photographed fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien gripped in "middle earth" by the vast roots of a spreading oak. Snowdon elaborated on his photographic technique in his first book, "London," in which he wrote, "I believe that photographs should be simple technically, and easy to look at. They shouldn't be directed at other photographers; their point is to make ordinary people react -- to laugh, or to see something they hadn't taken in before, or to be touched. But not to wince, I think." Other highlights of the retrospective exhibition include photographs taken by Snowdon at locations abroad and visual documents of the treatment of the mentally ill in England. The exhibit, which is supported by BP, is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalog, "Photographs by Snowdon: A Retrospective." Contributors include Drusilla Beyfus, Simon Callow, Georgina Howell, Patrick Kinmonth, Anthony Powell, Carl Toms and Marjorie Wallace. The catalog features over 200 illustrations and includes many previously unpublished photographs. The Yale Center for British Art, l080 Chapel St., is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. For a recorded listing of weekly museum tours and events, call (203) 432-2800 or visit the museum's website at www.yale.edu/ycba. Other International Festival stories Festival to feature everything from opera to aerial dancers British Art Center hosting talks, trips, music during International Festival International Festival of Arts and Ideas: Events on Campus International Festival of Arts and Ideas: Tours T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S Yale Celebrates 300th Commencement Festival to feature everything from opera to aerial dancers Alumni returning to campus for reunion weekends ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPS Mahzarin Banaji appointed to Halleck chair Seyla Benhabib appointed to Meyer chair Peter Salovey appointed to Argyris chair Steven B. Smith appointed to Cowles chair Exhibit recalls Snowdon's 'irreverent' photographic visions British Art Center hosting talks, trips, music during International Festival International Festival of Arts and Ideas: Events on Campus International Festival of Arts and Ideas: Tours MEDICAL SCHOOL NEWS Grant to boost medical students' knowledge of elder care Monitors usefulness in preventing SIDS questioned Study suggests revising guidelines for seniors' weight Depression's power to lower work productivity revealed Outreach program bringing seniors to the Peabody Campus Notes Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events|In the News|Bulletin Board Yale Scoreboard|Classified Ads|Search Archives|Deadlines Bulletin Staff|Public Affairs Home|News Releases| E-Mail Us|Yale Home Page