Elliott Erwitt: Capturing the Essence of American Politics, Canines, and Popular Culture, Passes Away at 95
Elliott Erwitt, the iconic photographer known for capturing the essence of American politics, canine companions, and popular culture, has sadly passed away at the age of 95, leaving behind a profound legacy of documenting the intricacies of American life for over six decades
Photographer and filmmaker Elliott Erwitt, known for his wry documentation of American life over six decades, has passed away at the age of 95. The news was confirmed in a caption accompanying a photo shared on his official Instagram account, stating that Erwitt "passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family."
Erwitt was renowned for capturing spontaneous black-and-white images on city streets and photographing notable public figures, including former US Presidents John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, as well as celebrities such as Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. His humanistic approach to photojournalism led to regular assignments with influential US magazines and international publications, as well as tourism boards. As a longtime member and past president of Magnum Photos, Erwitt's legacy continues to impact the world of photography, inspiring generations of photographers despite industry changes and trends.
De Middel added that his casual and humorous approach to photography, combined with his obsessive dedication, made him a unique artist who is deeply missed today.
Born Elio Romano Erwitz in Paris on July 26, 1928, Erwitt spent his early years in Milan before his family, of Russian-Jewish descent, emigrated to the US in 1939. They settled in Los Angeles, where Erwitt took studio photography classes at Los Angeles City College. After moving to New York City in 1948, he worked as a janitor at the New School for Social Research in exchange for enrollment into film courses. In 1951, he was drafted into the US Army and took on photography duties while stationed in Europe. During a visit to the Magnum Photos office in Paris, he met Robert Capa and was invited to join the renowned photography group.
Elliott Erwitt's first significant collection of work was not fully unveiled until the 2018 exhibit "Elliott Erwitt: Pittsburgh 1950" at the International Center of Photography in New York. At 22, Erwitt captured these photographs during his time in Pittsburgh, at the request of Roy Stryker, the former head of the US Farm Security Administration known for commissioning celebrated photographers Dorothea Lange and Gordon Parks.
The Allegheny Conference on Community Development commissioned this assignment to showcase the industrial city in a new, modern perspective through the lens of a group of contemporary photographers. Erwitt was particularly drawn to human stories, especially those involving the children of Pittsburgh. Despite delivering thousands of images for the project, many of Erwitt's negatives remained unused and stored in Stryker's archive for decades.
When discussing his approach to photography, Erwitt is often quoted as saying, "It's about reacting to what you see, hopefully without preconception. You can find pictures anywhere. It's simply a matter of noticing things and organizing them. You just have to care about what's around you and have a concern for humanity and the human comedy."
Throughout his career, Erwitt closely observed significant historical events that occurred behind closed doors, from lavish social gatherings such as Truman Capote's Black and White Ball at the Plaza Hotel in 1966 to tense political moments on the global stage.
One of Erwitt's most renowned images dates back to 1959 and captures then-US Vice President Richard Nixon pointing a finger at Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow during the opening of the American National Exhibition. This six-week diplomatic effort aimed to introduce Russians to American mid-century art, design, and appliances during the height of the Cold War. The image depicts an impromptu and heated exchange between the two leaders that started over a model of an American kitchen, later known as the "Kitchen Debate." Erwitt, who was on a commercial assignment at the exhibit, later recalled in the book "Contact Sheet," "I just happened to be in the right spot at the right time."
The Japanese photographer celebrates rural American community but also has a collection of acclaimed, lyrical or tongue-in-cheek photographs. This includes a silhouetted image of a man leaping with an umbrella in front of the Eiffel Tower and a woman sitting on a New York City stoop with two bulldogs, creating the illusion of human limbs on one of the dogs.
Erwitt had a strong love for capturing images of dogs, to the point where he released five books solely dedicated to the subject. "I enjoy taking countless photos of dogs because of my fondness for them, their willingness to be photographed, and their lack of demands for prints," he explained.
Erwitt was also involved in creating several documentary films and produced 18 comedies for HBO during the 1980s. He also published monographs such as "Improbable Photographs" in 1965 and "Personal Exposures" in 1989. In 2015, the Harry Ransom Center in Austin, Texas, obtained his photography collection from 1946 to 2010, which contains almost 50,000 prints. A year later, the center launched the retrospective exhibition "Around the World" based on this extensive collection.
