On the fringes of Society, Diane Arbus built her legacy as a photographer. Photographing those individuals who have been otherwise cast out and forgotten. She was born in New York City in 1923 and was married at 18 to a US Army photographer.
She was known for her experimental, often heart wretching work. Arbus committed suicide in 1971, but the legacy she left is still inspiring photographers to this day. During Arbus' life the photos she took were inspiring, vivid, and at times controversial.
There has been much speculation on her life and the reasons for her suicide are still unknown.
I have often wondered why the world of art as a whole seems to have so many casualties.
Nonetheless though I have decided to do this article, a tribute to her life rather than dwelling on the circumstances of her death.
Diane collaborated with and was trained as a photographer by such people as Richard Avedon.
By the 1960's though, she was coming into her own. By all accounts she was a true artist with the camera, Not long ago there was a movie called "Fur" that came out. It was supposed to be a retrospective of her life, but I do not think any film could do her life justice.
Despite her tragic demise at the age of 48, Arbus' talent cannot be compared to others.
The reason for this is that Diane was truly an original, and in the years since her death no photographer has come close to being as innovative as she was, though many have tried.
Her early life gave a glimpse into her future when she took up a fascination with all things eccentric and bizarre (she termed the people she was most inspired by "freaks"). You could say Diane was a bit on the fringes herself, her interests were unusual to say the least.
She also had a brief career as a fashion photographer, until she and her husband divorced.
Upon divorcing her husband she devoted herself full time to photographing subjects of her own choosing, which became increasingly more bizarre as Diane herself became plagued by issues of what we would now term "social anxiety" and depression.
Despite her own emotional issues, her photography career and the increasingly more extreme photos she took only garnered her more notoriety. We learn from Diane's life that fame can't save a person from their own madness.
If Diane were alive today, maybe she could've gotten the help she needed, sadly though....she didn't.
Diane Arbus March 14, 1923-July 26,1971, I hope she found the peace she longed for in Life.
