Photographer Elliott Erwitt wins ICP’s Lifetime Achievement Award
It’s not surprising that Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt recently received the International Center for Photography’s Infinity Award for Lifetime Achievement. Not surprising, no, but exciting nonetheless. Do a quick Google Image search for his name and you’ll cull some of the most iconic images from the 20th-century. There are serious photos, political photos, professional photos, romantic photos and celebrity photos, but the most common unifying thread amongst all of Erwitt’s work is his sense of humor. His ability to capture our often ridiculous relationships with animals or our undying fascination with exaggerated versions of the female form are what give his oeuvre not only likability but relatability. It’s not that we can’t recognize and appreciate a good photograph no matter what the subject matter is, but we’re drawn to the Bresson-esque qualities of his images, his knack for capturing those small, seemingly benign or ubiquitous moments – a woman on a park bench crossing her legs, a group of men turning their heads to watch a girl walk by or his wife pulling a roast chicken out of the oven while she holds a crying baby (below).
To commemorate the award and the corresponding exhibit “Personal Best,” which opens at ICP on May 20, 2011, Erwitt’s son Misha sat down with his father to conduct a short interview with a man who’s notorious for rebuking them. He poses questions his family have long been wanting to ask but haven’t had the chance to, like what got Erwitt to pick up a camera in the first place (answer: seeing Bresson’s “The Quai St. Bernard, near the Gare d’Austerlitz Station”) and what’s the story behind the aforementioned kitchen photo. “There is no story behind that photo,” Erwitt said, “just a moment of the normal chaos of a family with numerous children. I loved coming back home to screaming children.” Misha also asked if his father has a favorite photo of his. “I have a few pictures that I like,” he responded, “but I hope I haven’t taken my favorite picture yet…You can say that my pictures are like my children and I don’t have a favorite.”
