DETROIT, MI.- The Detroit Institute of Arts has partnered with Condé Nast to present an exhibition of around 80 photographs by celebrated fashion photographer and filmmaker Bruce Weber, on view at the DIA from June 20 to Sept. 7. Detroit—Bruce Weber captures the rich culture of Detroit through striking, often intimate images of the city’s people and places. The exhibition is free with museum admission and is organized by the Detroit Institute of Arts and presented in collaboration with Condé Nast.
“We are delighted that Condé Nast is honoring Detroit and its vibrant art scene with this exciting exhibition,” said Graham W. J. Beal, DIA director. “Bruce Weber’s images beautifully capture the spirit of the people who make up this city.”
Since 2006, Weber has found the city and its citizens a source of inspiration, and his affinity for Detroit is evident in the dozens of images on view. Among them are portraits of activist Grace Lee Boggs, R&B legend Aretha Franklin, the Detroit chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen and everyday Detroiters who embody the essence of the city. Well-known Detroit locations, such as the Kronk Gym, Belle Isle Park and the Raven nightclub are also featured.
“Condé Nast is pleased to partner with the DIA to present this one-of-a-kind exhibition that showcases the spirit and greatness of Detroit,” said Condé Nast CEO Charles H. Townsend. “From its history as an industrial titan to its current renaissance as a beacon for the arts, Detroit has a special and uniquely American character, which Bruce captures so brilliantly.”
“Detroit is one of the few places in the world now where there is a big welcome sign in the smiles and hearts of its people,” said Weber. “Their continued courage and resilience is why I first ended up there with my camera. Condé Nast has joined me to help celebrate Detroit with this exhibition.”
“Bruce Weber is one of the preeminent American photographers of our time,” added Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue and Condé Nast’s artistic director. “From the moment his work appeared in Vogue in 1978, his talent and breadth of vision were undeniable. Since then, he has helped shape our ideas about men’s and women’s fashion and celebrity. At the same time, his passion for distinctly American phenomena, from jazz to farmlands and factories, has led him to chronicle the country’s landscape for more than three decades. What better photographer than Bruce to be a champion of this great American city?”
Photographer and filmmaker Bruce Weber first rose to international prominence in the early 1980s on the success of images that combined classical styling with more visceral underpinnings of desire, mood, and sexuality. His ability to construct a seamless sense of romance and drama created the central public images for fashion houses like Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Versace, and Abercrombie and Fitch, as well as earning him an enduring presence as a contributor to magazines at the very highest levels in the industry. Throughout his career, Weber continues to work in various forms–he has directed seven short and feature length films, published more than 37 books, and has held more than 60 exhibitions worldwide–extending his lifelong exploration of the nature of human relationships.
