What did Diane Arbus do?
Diane Arbus often chose to photograph people living on the edge of society, or looked down upon by the average person. These pictures changed not only Americans but people around the world to see how shunning those who were disabled was cruel and unjust to society.
Arbus also fought for feminism in her own way, putting aside all womanly objects such as jewelry or feminine clothes, and she refused to shave, and she kept her hair short. She asked all of her female friends to do the same. And despite the fact she was a woman, Arbus entered dangerous places, such as nudist camps or mental institutes, alone and fearless. She was scorned for being a female photographer, but Arbus continued to take expressive pictures. Arbus also lead the revolution of modern photography. Before she picked up a camera, pictures were only used to display the beauty of an object or person, and cameras were rarely used. But after her photos first went on display in the Museum of Modern Art, photography was widely picked up and held expression and emotion, not only beauty and landscapes. |
"When she [Diane Arbus] had her big MOMA show, in 1971, it wasn't just Arbus. That was an incredibly rich time for photography, generally. Photography was becoming powerful, exciting, and many people were picking up cameras and looking at photos and museums were beginning to collect it. Before that time, photography didn't have the same power. It was bit more marginalized. The people who considered photography weren't as connected to the art world. Arbus made that connection. I don't think people nowadays make a difference, saying 'Oh, that's contemporary art, and that's photography'."
- John Pultz |
"I think the way I express myself is trying to bring to light how I see the world – things I find important to me, things I find beautiful. Everyone can take a picture, but it's important – what specific emotion I try to capture, what angles I use. It's the way I capture. It's not just a regular subject, but it's also the mood... photographing something brings it to life. It's the way I see the subjects. It's more important to express yourself."
-Clarissa Nobre, Ex-Photographer |
A summary of Diane's life through drawings.
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