Leibovitz’s lens is a labour of love

3:48pm Wednesday 1st October 2008

JAMES MURPHY previews The Life Of A Photographer Through Leibovitz’s Lens, which is the latest exhibition on display at the ever reliable National Portrait Gallery.

For those of you who don’t recognise the name Annie Leibovitz, perhaps you would recognise some of the most beautiful and iconic images ever produced.

A pregnant Demi Moore? A naked John Lennon clinging to Yoko Ono, hours before his death?

Bruce Springsteen’s denim clad behind on the cover of his album ‘Born In The USA’?

This month, Leibovitz’s personal exhibition of pictures arrives at The National Portrait Gallery in London, the final stop in the successful international tour of museums.

The exhibition features several of Leibovitz’s most famous photographs, including portraits of actors such as Nicole Kidman and Brad Pitt, plus that iconic image of a pregnant Demi Moore for Vanity Fair in 1991.

Her professional photography moves between celebrity and politics, with images of George W. Bush and the members of his Cabinet at the White House, her assignment work at the siege of Sarajevo in the early 1990s, the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the election of Hillary Clinton to the US Senate. With the current climate in America undergoing change, with a new President being introduced in the upcoming months, it seems a suitable time to glance back at famous images of dramatic American events in recent history.

But it is the personal photographs that take centre stage in this gallery, with touching images of Leibovitz’s home life; exploring her relationships with family and friends, including a touching spotlight on her close relationship with writer Susan Sontag and images of her resting on her deathbed. Although the images of celebrity are thoroughly interesting and rightly loved, it is Leibovitz’s juxtaposing of these with her private collection which makes this such a fascinating experience.

And to take full advantage of this event, there are evenings throughout October, November and January which feature special guest writers (Thursdays) and a variety of free music events (Fridays) to accompany the viewing of this collection. For photography lovers, to move though the ages and scopes of one of the more iconic photographers of this generation is a must.

Annie Leibovitz: A Photographers Life 1990- - 2005 runs at the National Portrait Gallery from Thursday October 16 2008 until Sunday February 1 2009, with daily openings between 10am - 6pm.

Tickets are priced at £12, with concessions for senior citizens and earlybird tickets, and are avaliable through www.npg.org.uk

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