Richard Avedon and Andy Warhol

Artists Richard Avedon (1923–2004) and Andy Warhol (1928–1987) came to prominence in a time of profound change around the world. Amid that political and social upheaval, both men became renowned for making portraits – but with different objectives. Avedon brought the personality of the sitter to the forefront, revealing his subjects inner selves. Every image, though created in an easily reproduced medium – photography – was in some way unique. Warhol, in turn, utilised the highly individualised medium of painting to create portraits that were emotionally opaque, evasive and impersonal, and he repeated images – Liz, Jackie, Mao – in great multiples. Avedon and Warhol knew one other, but almost never worked together. Each had an abiding belief in the power of the image to seduce, amuse, shock, and influence and not only recorded but also created a vision of the world around him. Presented together, and illuminated by insightful essays, their work tells an important pictorial story.