Annie Leibovitz
Kara Walker, New York City, 2013
Medium/Presentation: Photography
Big Idea/Subject: Human Diversity
Major Theme: Individual Identity
Visual Components: Balance, color, contrast, emphasis, movement, scale, space
Category: Fine Arts
Description/Interpretation:
This photograph was taken of the artist Kara Walker in her apartment in New York City in 2013. It is a simple portrait of her sitting on the back of her couch, gazing out the window. Walker is situated in the right third of the image and is framed by her large open windows. The lighting appears to be coming from the windows only, as well. The image is of her full figure, and she is sitting in a relaxed pose. She is wearing jeans and a bright orange sweater, and she has bare feet, no makeup and her hair is closely cropped. The remainder of the image is the scene as it was in her living room. Her coffee table is littered with coffee cups and old beverage containers and books and a roll of paper towels. She has a book shelf full of books in the background, and several storage boxes and some artwork carelessly pinned to the wall. Her desk is also littered with books, old bottles and pictures haphazardly placed and stuck to the face of her computer. Her couch cushions are smushed in, and the couch looks well used and well loved. The scene is an imperfect one, but one that tells a strong story of who Kara Walker is. She is subtle, yet brilliant, always researching, always working, yet her gaze suggests that she is deep in her thought. The color of her sweater is echoed on the opposite side of the image in one of her boxes, most likely full of resource material or media, suggesting she is always connected to her art even when it is not right in front of her. The choice Leibovitz made to not “clean up” nor crop out the mess was intentional, showing the artist Kara Walker as she is, emphasizing the true nature of what a portrait is. The tone of the image is almost a cyan or bluish tone, adding to the feeling of calmness juxtaposed with chaos. Although Leibovitz is known for her over the top, costumed and highly produced photographs, that are also full of narrative, her subtle, true-to-life portraits are more grounded in reality and the true story of the subjects she photographs.
Use in Teaching:
This piece can be used to show how portraiture can be meaningful and purposeful, even in a natural setting. Students would benefit from creating a documentary portrait of someone they knew and attempt to tell a story with the environment surrounding the subject, and formal elements throughout the image. It could also be a way to examine celebrity portraiture, and how their public persona may not always match their true nature.
Discussion Questions:
What formal qualities do you see in this image?
Why do you think the artist chose to show the messy apartment and not clean up or crop it out?
What are some symbolic elements throughout the image?
In what ways do you think this captures the subjects personality?
Do you feel the composition is distracting or adds to the image?
Do you feel the toned color of the image adds to its meaning?