Herb Ritts, “David Bowie III,” Los Angeles, 1987, Photographed for Rolling Stone, Image © and courtesy Herb Ritts Foundation
Meet the royalty of rock ‘n’ roll in a special summer exhibition at the Chrysler Museum of Art. Photographer Herb Ritts introduces you to David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Madonna, Prince, Tina Turner, and more of the biggest rock stars from the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. In this popular touring exhibition from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, you will discover Ritts’ legendary legacy of portrait photography and music video direction.
Ritts specialized in startlingly intimate portraits, presenting these artists as the public had never seen them before in magazines like Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and Interview. In this exhibition, you will come face-to-face with the kings and queens of pop and rock, from Bruce Springsteen to Britney Spears.
Visitors will get a peek behind the photographer’s process, viewing his contact sheets marked with red pencil edits. His forays into music video direction — including videos for Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Chris Isaak — are also explored in the show.
The exhibition is complemented by a selection of memorabilia from the collection of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, including Bruce Springsteen’s leather jacket and Elton John’s top hat worn on the LP cover for “A Single Man.”
Herb Ritts: The Rock Portraits opens on Friday, June 24 and the show runs through Sunday, Sept. 18. Admission is free. The Chrysler Museum of Art is located at One Memorial Place, Norfolk, Va. 23510. Visit www.chrysler.org for more information.
