My meeting with Brassaï
Madame Bijou in the Bar de la Lune, Paris, 1932
Photograph by Brassai
I went to the opening of Brassaï's show at the Marlborough Gallery in New York in 1976, which was up during the same month my show of photographs was at the Stieglitz Gallery.
Brassaï was there in person at the Marlborough when I arrived. He stood in the middle of a circle of admirers, which included a critic from the New York Times and the director of the Metropolitan Museum. As it happened, no one was looking at the photographs on the wall. Everyone was too excited by his presence, wanting to talk to the artist! But while his admirers stood around him, I was looking closely at each photograph in the exhibit, with what was undoubtedly a reverential expression on my face.
At one point, Brassaï broke away from his circle of admirers. He came and stood quietly next to me--a scruffy hippie kid--as I was looking at a photograph called "Girl playing Snooker" taken in Montmartre in 1933. After a moment, he said, "Do you like the photograph?" I said, "It is wonderful!" He said, "Je suis Brassaï." I said, "I know!"
We stood then for half an hour, talking about his work. Finally, I told him that I was having a show of my own photographs, called Shameless, downtown at the Stieglitz gallery. I told him that, in fact, one of the photos in my show was an homage to him, a reinterpretation of his portrait of Miss Diamonds aka "Bijou." He invited me to come to lunch with him, which I did the next day.
This was one of the most inspiring episodes in my life. I was moved by the fact that, at the peak of his career, and in a room full of important people, what mattered to Brassaï was that someone was looking closely at his work, and because of that he wanted to talk to me. That he would take time to have lunch with me and encourage me really moved me. He autographed my copy of his book, The Secret Paris of the 30’s. I gave him a copy of my photo: "Bijou of Andy's Donuts.”
His photographs are exquisite, shot on location in Paris. He works with modified ambient light under difficult circumstances. He captures a range of moments from the dramatic to the charming, in beautifully atmospheric light. His compositions are flawless. His black and white prints are magnificent.
At one point in our conversation, he told me that photographs age like fine wine. In 1976 it had been about 40 years since he took his photographs in Paris. "They have aged," he said, "and become more valuable with time." He told me that I should plan to bring my photographs of San Francisco in the 70's out in 30 or 40 years, and they would be even more admired. I told him I would do that, and, in 2012, I published my book of Photographs.
Brassaï was there in person at the Marlborough when I arrived. He stood in the middle of a circle of admirers, which included a critic from the New York Times and the director of the Metropolitan Museum. As it happened, no one was looking at the photographs on the wall. Everyone was too excited by his presence, wanting to talk to the artist! But while his admirers stood around him, I was looking closely at each photograph in the exhibit, with what was undoubtedly a reverential expression on my face.
At one point, Brassaï broke away from his circle of admirers. He came and stood quietly next to me--a scruffy hippie kid--as I was looking at a photograph called "Girl playing Snooker" taken in Montmartre in 1933. After a moment, he said, "Do you like the photograph?" I said, "It is wonderful!" He said, "Je suis Brassaï." I said, "I know!"
We stood then for half an hour, talking about his work. Finally, I told him that I was having a show of my own photographs, called Shameless, downtown at the Stieglitz gallery. I told him that, in fact, one of the photos in my show was an homage to him, a reinterpretation of his portrait of Miss Diamonds aka "Bijou." He invited me to come to lunch with him, which I did the next day.
This was one of the most inspiring episodes in my life. I was moved by the fact that, at the peak of his career, and in a room full of important people, what mattered to Brassaï was that someone was looking closely at his work, and because of that he wanted to talk to me. That he would take time to have lunch with me and encourage me really moved me. He autographed my copy of his book, The Secret Paris of the 30’s. I gave him a copy of my photo: "Bijou of Andy's Donuts.”
His photographs are exquisite, shot on location in Paris. He works with modified ambient light under difficult circumstances. He captures a range of moments from the dramatic to the charming, in beautifully atmospheric light. His compositions are flawless. His black and white prints are magnificent.
At one point in our conversation, he told me that photographs age like fine wine. In 1976 it had been about 40 years since he took his photographs in Paris. "They have aged," he said, "and become more valuable with time." He told me that I should plan to bring my photographs of San Francisco in the 70's out in 30 or 40 years, and they would be even more admired. I told him I would do that, and, in 2012, I published my book of Photographs.
A postcard of "Bijou of Andy's Donuts" - San Francisco, 1975
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Brassaï's autograph in my copy of his book "The Secret Paris of the 30's" As he handed it to me he said, "From one master to another" which was certainly one of the highlights of my life!
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