Duane Michals | DC Moore Gallery
Magritte with Easel ©Duane Michals
Written by Max Wiener
Photo edited by Max Amos-Flom
When artists achieve the status of “icon,” their mortal figures can turn into mythic legend. They begin to transcend the boundary between God and Man, creating a dichotomy solely based on their incredible yield. Their paint brushes become vehicles for heavenly desires, their lenses portals to souls. It is safe to say that Andy Warhol and René Magritte, pied pipers of their respective mediums, have achieved this status, becoming some of the most celebrated artists not just in the twentieth century, but all time.
Andy Warhol Contact Sheet B ©Duane Michals
Duane Michals, the master photographer in his own right, instills mortality and humanity back into the two icons in his stunning series Magritte + Warhol, showcased prominently at New York’s DC Moore Gallery. Instead of showing the brevity and depth of their work, Michals turns his camera to the men themselves, shining the light on the creative vessels of some of the past century’s most epochal works. Here, the separation between Myth and Man is completely dispelled, and, in raw Duane Michals fashion, we see two artists that are human beings like us all. The series is scheduled to close on December 21st.
Magritte with Hat ©Duane Michals
Both René Magritte and Andy Warhol, at face value, were interesting figures. The very way in which they held themselves could be considered avant-garde, and their very oeuvres grab our attention with metaphysical hands. Michals has a beautiful ability to make the eyes of his subjects the unmistakable focal point of the piece, regardless of physical placement within the space. The light catches their pupils in a way that seems to speak to us, and the man who created art out of Campbell’s Soup suddenly seems a lot more familiar. Through Michals’ lens, both men appear more neighborly, and there appears to be a genuine connection between the viewer and the subject throughout the entirety of the exhibition.
Andy Warhol Contact Sheet A © Duane Michals
One of the highlights of Michals’ vision in this series was the choice not to include any of the artists’ work, but rather focus on the two men themselves. There is no inflation of the ego, no braggadocious energy throughout. Instead, the color and the pop comes in black and white, and their very presences speak for themselves. It almost invites conversation between us, the viewer, and them, the artist, and we can see the progression of their lives directly in front of us. Andy Warhol was seen partying with the social elite at Studio 54, but here he’s just Andy. Magritte is simply René. Seldom do black and white photographs speak to us quite like those of Duane Michals. He makes conscious decisions to highlight the intimate minutiae of each artist, bringing out the mortal in them like never before. They have hands just like us. They have emotions and souls, just like all of us. Magritte + Warhol is truly inspiring for any artist, beginner or master, because it proves that we all have the capability to be great. We just needed someone like Duane Michals to remind us of that.
Andy Warhol (Laying on Papers) © Duane Michals
