The Sixties

by Doon Arbus, Richard Avedon (Photographer)

The photographer Richard Avedon and the writer Doon Arbus began collaborating on this book thirty years ago.  The photographs and interviews they did then remain faithful to what was, like the contents of a time capsule.

Meeting somebody and balling them means something, but it doesn't mean near as much as it used to.    --Janis Joplin, September 1969

In a society where there is institutionalized oppression, the thing is to catch government and business in the grass--actually humping.   --Florynce Kennedy, August 1969

I was so afraid of being bad and being caught at it.   --Dr. Benjamin Spock, September 1969

The connection between all the rhetoric and all the poetry, between the words of a Black Panther and those of a rock star or a pacifist, between the scars of a pop artist and those of a napalm victim, have haunted and informed the structuring of this book, with its own peculiar version of a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Genres: Photography, Art, History, Historical, Nonfiction, Pop Culture, Politics

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 5, 1999

Reviews

[CD · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book length snapshot of a specific view of a moment in United States 20th Century history. This is the photographer Avedon and his collaborator Arbus cross references of what they were seeing and writing as commentary on the era.

Richard Avedon classic portraiture reveals in eastern U.S. - New York geocentric views the faces of a famous and infamous few. From the political and staid, to the outrageous and dangerous, the chosen images are more entries in the pantheon of portraits that was created by this photographer and continues to influence photography 40 or more years later.

This is not an introduction to Avedon's work. It is instead a chapter. The iconic few selected to be included in this work all had, momentarily at least, great impact on the period both historically and socially even if they are, in some cases, little known or forgotten today. Historians and refugees of the 1960's not comfortable with all of those included and the many left out need to remember, this is about photography of a particular vision and not a historical record. The book is entitled Avedon The Sixities, not The Sixties by Avedon.

Avedon collectors and enthusiasts should add this to their library.

[Jaimie · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there were some fantastic photos in this book, as a whole I found it quite underwhelming. Maybe if I knew more about the actual people involved in the Vietnam and Civil Rights movements in the US the characters would have had a deeper impact, but maybe it's just that there's too much focus on these two areas. Judge me as superficial if you want, but the most memorable image for me wa of Bob Dylan - not because he's famous (I'm not into his music at all), but because the character portrayed was Art.

I think that what really made reading this book tedious though were the paragraphs accompanying the photos. There was really very little conecting them besides "the 60s," and honestly most of them were not even very well written. Stick to the photos, please!

[Benjamin J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding.

[Gijs Limonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars; been wading into the world of photography of late and eagerly brushing up on the classics; Avedon is a very recent discovery and I was struck by his style; loved it; a lot of his work is freely available online at the internet archive, go check them out!

[Adrienne]

LOVED this book. Awesome.

It's a collection of photographs and interviews of celebrities, poets, writers, playwrights, anti-war activists, everyday people, etc.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing collection of Avedon's portraits.

[Sheela Word · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photos of key 60's figures were wonderful, the interview quotations were interesting, and the mini-biographies and timelines at the end were informative. I learned a lot and felt a lot.