About this artwork
There is little doubt that these pictures, made towards the end of Arbus’s life, are among her most controversial. Arbus spent a long time trying to gain permission to shoot in institutions for the severely handicapped before finally gaining access in 1969. The best-known pictures feature a group of patients from New Jersey dressed in their Halloween masks. Arbus considered the project – labelled 'Untitled' by her daughter, Doon, after her death – part of her longstanding objective: "to photograph everybody". Having experimented with using flash in daylight, Arbus also felt these photographs were among her most technically successful. While these powerful pictures may remain shocking, they are a statement of Arbus’s bold commitment to photographing everyone, especially those on the margins of society.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Diane Arbus (1923 - 1971) American
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title:Untitled (1) 1970-71
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date created:1970 - 1971; printed after 1971
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materials:Gelatin silver print on paper
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measurements:36.90 x 36.60 cm (framed: 62.00 x 61.80 x 2.10 cm)
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object type:
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credit line:ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Acquired jointly through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Art Fund, 2008
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accession number:AR00566
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gallery:
Diane Arbus
Diane Arbus
Diane Arbus is one of the most influential photographers of the twentieth century. Born in New York City, she was working as a fashion photographer before she began to pursue an artistic career. Arbus made portraits of people from across society, but is best known for her powerful images of people...