Annie Leibovitz: latest show explores women as 'whole human beings’

Revered photographer’s new exhibition focuses on women of note, from Lupita Nyong’o to Aung San Suu Kyi

She has captured thousands of faces as perhaps the world’s pre-eminent portrait photographer, but Annie Leibovitz thinks most subjects would rather be at the dentist than in front of a camera. “If they like having their picture taken something is wrong with them!”

Leibovitz was speaking at the opening of her new London show of portraits of women including Aung San Suu Kyi, Adele, the documentary-maker Laura Poitras, the ballerina Misty Copeland, and the primatologist Jane Goodall.

Goodall was one of her quickest shoots, the photographer revealed. Renowned for her efficiency and ability to capture the essence of her subjects in a remarkably short timeframe, Leibovitz reflected on the memorable encounter. “I only had eight minutes,” she said, her voice carrying a blend of admiration and astonishment. Goodall, a world-renowned primatologist and anthropologist, had a demeanor that commanded respect and exuded a quiet strength. When she walked into the studio, her presence was instantly felt. Despite her gentle nature, there was an undeniable aura of resilience and tenacity that surrounded her. “You know, I hate doing this. I like going to the dentist better than this," Goodall had remarked with a light-hearted smile, breaking the initial ice and setting a candid tone for the session. Leibovitz, having worked with numerous prominent figures over the years, could immediately empathize with her sentiment. Capturing someone’s essence in such a short amount of time requires not just skill, but also a deep understanding of the person and their life's work. Goodall’s distaste for photo shoots was understandable, given her lifelong dedication to her research and the natural world. She had spent decades in the forests of Tanzania, studying chimpanzees and fostering global environmental awareness. Her body of work had fundamentally transformed our understanding of these primates and highlighted the urgent need for conservation efforts. As Leibovitz began to take photographs, she couldn't help but admire Goodall’s authenticity. Unpretentious and straightforward, Goodall embodied the spirit of someone who had devoted her life to a cause far greater than herself. The short span of eight minutes felt almost magical as Leibovitz worked swiftly yet thoughtfully, aiming to encapsulate Goodall’s essence in each frame. The shoot, though brief, concluded on a note of mutual respect and understanding. Goodall appreciated the professionalism and warmth with which Leibovitz conducted the session, making the rushed experience surprisingly pleasant. For Leibovitz, those eight minutes were not just about taking a photograph, but about seizing a fleeting moment with someone who had left an indelible mark on the world through tireless dedication and compassion. In their brief exchange, the photographer had not only captured an image but also a sense of Goodall's enduring legacy. A legacy that continues to inspire countless individuals across the globe to cherish and protect our natural world, reminding us all of the profound interconnectedness of all living beings.

“I don’t know anybody who likes having their photograph taken. It is normal to not like having your picture taken because you have to deal with yourself and wonder who you are.”

She was, however, pleased by the result. “First she stuck her tongue out at me and then she settled in, and I didn’t realise until I got back to my studio that this is how she looks at a chimpanzee. This is why a chimpanzee is intrigued with her, falls in love with her – that face. I was captivated by that face.”

In 1999, at the suggestion of her partner Susan Sontag, who passed away in 2004, Annie Leibovitz embarked on a project capturing the essence of women. When UBS, a Swiss bank, recently approached Leibovitz with a potential commission, she proposed revisiting this endeavor. The outcome is "Women: New Portraits," showcasing Leibovitz's photographs of women distinguished by their remarkable achievements.

The one woman Leibovitz has not photographed, to her regret, is the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, who she says is probably the most important woman in the world today.

“I’m on the path, I’m asking her,” she said. “I remember when I photographed Queen Elizabeth; I couldn’t believe I had the opportunity and when we were leaving I asked her press secretary ‘why did she agree now?’. She said ‘oh you wrote a letter five years ago.’ There’s a real lesson in that – perseverance.”

One of the prominent figures in the show is the transgender celebrity Caitlyn Jenner. Leibovitz captured her in a white corset, an image that also graced a recent cover of Vanity Fair.

Leibovitz said it had been a beautiful experience. “Bruce is still there but Caitlyn emerged. On some level the project wasn’t even the photograph – it was really to help Caitlyn emerge. We wanted to help her, give her the best start.

“She was very quiet the first day and we looked at a lot of imagery of women – remember this is an acquired look. By the second day it was like being dragged behind a truck; she just took over, she knew where she was going. It was like watching someone emerge, it was beautiful.”

Other notable figures featured include restaurateur Alice Waters, Russian model Natalia Vodianova, singer Taylor Swift, actor Lupita Nyong'o, and feminist writer Gloria Steinem, who also contributed to the curation of the list. Soon to be added are Malala Yousafzai, tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams, and performance artist Marina Abramović.

Steinem agreed that it was an important project: “There have not been representations of women that show them as whole human beings, so this is remedial. Yes, men can be denied their full humanity, but not as much. Each one of these photographs is a novel; it is so amazing, there is a complete human story in every photograph.”

The exhibition, featuring pieces from the original Leibovitz series alongside a grand portrait of the Queen, has debuted in the evocative Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, an arts venue until 2013. Following its stint in London, the showcase will journey to major cities worldwide, including Tokyo, San Francisco, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mexico City, Istanbul, Frankfurt, New York, and Zurich.

A set of the new photographs will then enter the UBS art collection, one of the world’s biggest corporate contemporary art collections, which features more than 30,000 works.

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