Women: New Portraits by Annie Leibovitz

Interesting exhibition at Wapping Hydraulic Power Station of new portraits of women by Annie Liebovitz.

There were some lovely images and I liked the way they were presented. The first section gave a quick overview of other pictures of or about women she had done and it was nice to see the picture of Virginia Woolf’s writing desk from Monk’s House. The main section just showed the new pictures with the descriptions off to one side. This made you look at the pictures without always recognising the sitter and then go back and see who they were. It made you think about the person and their setting and had an equalising effect. On the other three sides of the gallery were big screens, two with changing displays and one with her new portrait of the Queen.

My favourite images included Doris Kearns Goodwin reading an a study, Sheryl Sandberg curled up on a desk chair, a beautiful picture of Russian model Natalia Vodianova against a huge architectural horse sculpture in a dress of the same colour as the stone and the dancer Misty Copeland on point. I didn’t know about many of the women, such as the American senator Elizabeth Warren, but I’m going to look them up now!

I liked the idea that a non-museum venue had been chosen for the show. It was set out with a talking circle in the middle but I’m not sure that will work unless you go in a group or unless someone orchestrates the start of a discussion. There was also a study space to one side with comfortable leather chairs and selection of Liebovitz books to peruse.

An interesting show and a quirky venue. Not easy to get to but worth the trip!

Closes on 7 February 2016.

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