Lovely Lillian
Photographer Lillian Bassman passed away last week at the age of 94 leaving behind her an incredible lifetime of pictures. Though Bassman began her career in fashion as the assistant to famed art director, Alexey Brodovitch, she made the transition into photography only a few short years later. In 1947, Richard Avedon allowed her use of his studio and assistant while he was away on an assignment and by 1948 she had a new full-time career. Disillusioned with the industry by the 1970′s, Bassman turned her focus to fine art subjects. It wasn’t until the 1990′s that she revisited her old fashion negatives and gave them new energy with her signature digital bleaching techniques.
You can bet that there are already a slew of retrospectives in the works at galleries around the world (including one at the Staley-Wise Gallery in New York this April – see below), but if you want more Lillian in your life right now, have a look at Lillian Bassman: Women.
All photographs by Lillian Bassman
Click here for more information about the Staley-Wise Gallery in New York City
these are rad.