The Albert Watson retrospective, with the signed print Prince, Cleveland, 2004
What makes
Albert Watson one of the
world’s most revered photographers, hailed by peers, critics, and collectors alike? Is it his unparalleled celebrity portraits? Breathtaking landscapes? Sensual nudes, still lifes, illustrious fashion shoots?
KAOS presents a
kaleidoscopic overview of Watson’s career to date and the dazzling array of subjects, objects, people, and places he has encountered along the way. It is a skillfully curated survey of a
uniquely diverse, dynamic portfolio. From Watson’s breakthrough portrait of Alfred Hitchcock for the Christmas 1973 edition of
Harper’s Bazaar to a 2016 shot of Kanye West,
each photograph reverberates with tightly coiled power, tension, and poetry. Whether it’s a portrait of a Las Vegas dominatrix, Elvis’s gold suit, or a street scene in China, Watson excels in capturing the details seamlessly and probing its myriad depths. Along the way, his celebrity portraiture includes the likes of
David Bowie, Jay Z, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, Jack Nicholson, Steve Jobs, and Andy Warhol.
This remarkable collection is accompanied by an
essay from former head of photographs at Christie’s, Philippe Garner, extensive quotes from Watson, as well as
dozens of previously unpublished Polaroids, culled from Watson’s personal archives to provide unique insight into his photographic process and evolution. The result is a
defining document of the “photographer’s photographer,” iridescent in its graphic, often cinematic allure, and irresistible in its eclectic glory.
This
Art Edition comes with the
signed print Prince, Cleveland, 2004. After years in the commercial and critical doldrums, the late
Prince was back with a smash tour and record Musicology. Watson photographed him for
Rolling Stone magazine just before he went on stage in Cleveland. “He was one of those people who was explosive on stage, but in his personal life he was quite shy. But he was quite definite about what his look should be. I had built a little studio behind the stage and used a 4 x 5-inch camera,” says Watson. It’s a
simple, unplugged composition of the iconic pop star, positioned right in the center of the frame, with perfect interplay between his polka dot shirt and the duotone of the image.
Art Edition (No. 1–50), with the signed print Prince, Cleveland, 2004, printed by Watson in his New York studio on MOAB Entrada Rag paper and with Watson’s “Monkey with Mask” photograph stamped on the reverse in India ink.
Also available as three other Art Editions of 50 copies each, with alternative signed prints, and as a signed Collector’s Edition (No. 201–1,200).
The artist
Albert Watson (b. 1942) born in Scotland, his striking images have appeared on more than a hundred covers of Vogue and have been featured in countless other publications, including Rolling Stone and Time. Watson has also photographed for hundreds of successful ad campaigns for companies such as Prada, Revlon, and Chanel. All the while, he has spent much of his time working on personal projects from Marrakech to Las Vegas. His breakthrough came in 1973, with a shot he still considers the most important of his career: Alfred Hitchcock holding a plucked goose.
The author
Philippe Garner is an expert in 20th-century photography, design, and decorative art. He has written numerous essays and books, from studies of the lives of designer Émile Gallé and photographers Cecil Beaton and John Cowan, to his Sixties Design for TASCHEN. A former director of Christie’s, he has also curated shows for museums in London, Paris, and Tokyo.
The editor
Reuel Golden is the former editor of the British Journal of Photography and the Photography editor at TASCHEN. His TASCHEN titles include: Mick Rock: The Rise of David Bowie, both London and New York Portrait of a City books, Andy Warhol. Polaroids, The Rolling Stones, Her Majesty, Football in the 1970s, the National Geographic editions, and The David Bailey SUMO.
Albert Watson. Kaos. Art Edition No. 1–50 ‘Prince, Cleveland, 2004’
Edition of 50
Hardcover with faux chimpanzee fur fitting, in
clamshell box, 408 pages, 37.2 x 50 cm ; with signed fine art print
Prince, Cleveland, 2004, 33 x 48.3 cm on MOAB Entrada Rag paper.
