|
A
native of Chicago, Jerry Avenaim got his start in photography assisting
Patrick Demarchelier. Upon venturing out on his own in 1985, his first
assignment was a foreign edition Vogue cover of (then rising star) Cindy
Crawford. Basing himself out of Milan, he began to work for Italian
Vogue under the direction of (editor in chief) Franca Sozzani.
While
his love and flair for shooting fashion still burned in his heart, Jerry
moved to Los Angeles in 1992 where he is now based. With a passion for
film and theater Jerry began photographing celebrities. In the last
decade Jerry's resume of celebrities and magazines reads like a who's
who of Hollywood.
With
the characteristic variety of mood and tone so evident in his early
fashion work, Jerry Avenaim's celebrity photographs organically combine
the sensitivity and vulnerability of his subjects with his ability to
bring out their often uninhibited and gregarious personalities. Be it a
portrait of Charlton Heston looking as though he were chiseled from
stone or Angela Bassett covered in milk, these photographs will always
be remembered, as the future photographs remain to be made.
As
a catharsis Jerry Avenaim is also deeply inspired by what he calls his
"soul cleansing" personal works. These include his book
projects such as "Naked Truth" and "The Blue Roads".
Taken from the foreword of Naked Truth. "It is in Jerry's work that
his personality and character emerge. His images demonstrate the victory
of what is seen over what is not seen. Rather, by what is said. These
images, ultimately, reveal the warmth and humanity of a man whose work
is his life-long passion..."
|