CATHY OPIE

Dear Sophie -

CATHY OPIE is a So. Cal. gal. From her striking images of freeways to her series of sun bleached surfers and domestic life, she is surely from this place and time.

With love,

Mom

LASZLO MOHOLY-NAGY

Dear Sophie -

Feast your eyes...

LASZLO MOHOLY-NAGY was a painter and photographer of Hungarian descent and a professor at the Bauhas.

Born Laszlo Weisz, yet another artist of Jewish descent who changed his name. Trostsky, Bob Dylan, Frank Gehry... This isn't just a choice of artistry but an act of assimilation and prudence.

With love,

Mom

JAMES WELLING

Dear Sophie -

JAMES WELLING lives, works and teaches in Los Angeles, one of our local treasures.

With love,

MOm

SOPHIE CALLE

Dear Sophie -

The french conceptual artist SOPHIE CALLE uses photos with text to construct stories in chapter or sequel formats.

Her themes are often around romance (fitting for Valentines Day) and even breakups!

I love you with all my heart.

Mom

JEFF WALL

Dear Sophie -

JEFF WALL is a Canadian artist who uses large scale prints as the medium for his conceptual works.

He has a deep understanding of art history, and combines sets construction and digital technology to augment his visual narratives.

With love,

Mom

RICHARD BARNES

Dear Sophie -

RICHARD BARNES has a really interesting body of work chronicling our natural world with artistry that matches his intellectual rigor.

And he also loves his Diana mini!

Kindred spirit.

With love,

Mom

IRVING PENN

Dear Sophie -

The masterful fashion photographer IRVING PENN is just the bomb.

Control & perfection.

With love,

Mom

PAUL OUTERBRIDGE

Dear Sophie -

Paul Outerbridge was a fashion photographer who invented a process for incredible color saturation.

Privately he produced erotic images making Mollino look tame.

With love,

Mom

MARTIN PAAR

Dear Sophie -

The English photographer MARTIN PAAR uses a flash and a macro lense to saturate color and hone in on his satirical and often humorous observations.

Oh how displeased I would be if one of his subjects!

With love,

Mom

LEE FRIEDLANDER

Dear Sophie -

Lee Frielander has been photographing musicians, landscapes and the pulse of American cities since the 1940's.

He sure can pack a lot of information into a frame. Friedlander is represented by the Fraenkel Gallery in San Francisco. Fraenkel Gallery | San Francisco Photography Gallery

With love,

Mom

JOEL MEYEROWITZ

Dear Sophie -

Had I known more about JOEL MEYEROWITZ, he would have followed ROBERT FRANK.

Do Over!!

With love,

Mom

Studied: "I didn't. When I was working as an art director, I went to watch Robert Frank do a shoot. He was astonishing. When I got back to the oﬃce, I told them I was quitting to become a photographer. My boss loaned me his camera, and I went out photographing on the street."

Joel Meyerowitz's best shot | Art and design | The Guardian

WILLIAM EGGLESTON

Dear Sophie -

Aren't these amazing? This is WILLIAM EGGLESTON, who was born and raised in the south. He framed the ordinary with insight and made these extraordinary dye -transfer prints with uber color saturation.

With love,

Mom

SEBASTIAO SALGADO

Dear Sophie -

SEBASTIAO SALGADO travels the world to capture his epic imagery of workers in extreme hardship as well as the extreme beauty of wildlife and landscapes that haven't been touched by man.

With love,

Mom

THOMAS RUFF

Dear Sophie -

THOMAS RUFF is a really interesting artist who uses the photographic medium for conceptual works.

Each image here is part of a larger project series, worthy of investigation.

With love,

Mom

btw... Beyond Torino is an amazing unfinished castle called Castello di Rivoli that was transformed to an art museum. They have an very long exhibition hall that was filled with Ruff's that was a spectacular installation. I went on Peter's recommendation and it is worthy of the trek. The Italians really know how to mix modern design with their treasured past.

<<< Castello di Rivoli - Museo d'Arte Contemporanea >>>

ANDREAS GURSKY

Dear Sophie -

These gorgeous slick images of urban banality are breathtaking abstractions like technical Agnes Martins.

ANDREAS GURSKY has Becher-like structured imagery, (yes, another student!) with painterly color and some humor on top.

With love,

Mom

CANDIDA HOFER

Dear Sophie -

A student of the Bechers, along with THOMAS STRUTH AND THOMAS RUFF, CANDIDA HOFER aims her formal sennsibilities at unoccupied interiors, with multiple elements such as libraries and auditoriums.

She has a beautiful awareness of palette..

and goes from the grand to the funky.

With love,

Mom

ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE

Dear Sophie -

ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE drew and painted and didn't discover that photogrpahy was his metier until a polaroid was put in his hands by his friend and partner PATTI SMITH.

Robert and Patti hung out in New York in the 1960's. As they grew, they ultimately went their separate ways to achieve respective fame. His partner became Sam Wagstaff, a great curator and collector, but Robert sadly died from aids.