A Photographic Life - 87: Richard Avedon 'Christmas Special': Plus Gideon Lewin

A Photographic Life

In episode 87 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is in his shed reflecting on working with Richard Avedon, getting books signed by him, remembering stories about Avedon told to him by photographer Jean Loup Sieff and long-time Avedon assistant Gideon Lewin takes on the UNP Photo Proust Questionnaire in which he speaks about fellow Avedon assistant and photographer Hiro. Gideon Lewin was born in Jerusalem, Israel and graduated from the Art Center College of Design, in Los Angeles, majoring in advertising and photography. He was the studio manager and 'right-hand man' to legendary photographer Richard Avedon for 16 years during which time he collaborated with Avedon on many projects, including exhibitions, books, whilst traveling with him extensively for editorial assignments. Lewin also continued to create his own work during this period and established his own independent studio in 1980 collaborating with American and European designers on advertising, promotions and books, including Bill Blass, Avon, Revlon, Clairol, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Lewin has photographed and produced two books and his editorial work has been published in Harpers Bazaar, Vogue and Elle, and many other magazines. He has photographed personalities including Clint Eastwood, Lauren Bacall, Ariel Sharon, Rupert Murdoch, Donna Karen, and of course Richard Avedon. A retrospective exhibition of his work was held at the museum of Photography in Mougins, France, and his work has been featured in solo exhibitions in the US and Europe. Gideon Lewin, the Avedon Years, 1964-1980, was published in 2019. If you have enjoyed this podcast why not check out our A Photographic Life Podcast Plus. Created as a learning resource that places the power of learning into the hands of the learner. To suggest where you can go, what you can read, who you can discover and what you can question to further your own knowledge, experience and enjoyment of photography. It will be inspiring, informative and enjoyable! You can find out here: www.patreon.com/aphotographiclifepodcast You can also access and subscribe to these podcasts at SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/unofphoto on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-photographic-life/id1380344701 on Player FM https://player.fm/series/a-photographic-life and Podbean www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/i6uqx-6d9ad/A-Photographic-Life-Podcast Grant Scott is the founder/curator of United Nations of Photography, a Senior Lecturer and Subject Co-ordinator: Photography at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Focal Press 2014) and The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Focal Press 2015). His next book New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography will be published by Bloomsbury Academic in 2019. His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay can now be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd47549knOU&t=3915s. © Grant Scott 2019