Diane Arbus: In the Beginning


Disappointing exhibition at the Hayward Gallery looking at early work by the photographer Diane Arbus.

I had looked forward to this show as one of a series in London at the moment on important photographers and I started by thinking the layout of the show was quite innovative as the pictures were displayed on columns which broke up the space into maze like walks and gave a feeling of moving through the crowded New York Streets she was recording. However after a while this format became quite dull as the pictures were all the same size and format, plus the lack of any commentary meant you were just glancing at the pictures and few of them grabbed my attention. I got a sense of glimpsing parts of stories but a wanted the fuller narrative.

I did like one picture of a couple arguing at the Coney Island fair which had caught a moment of annoyance on her face and indifference on his. I always love her picture of a young man in curlers smoking a cigarette which I’ve seen in many shows.

Closes on 6 May 2019

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