Eve Arnold

About

Chris Beetles Fine Photographs opens to the public with an important retrospective of work by Eve Arnold. Over 70 photographs, many rare and unusual, sourced direct from the artist. Eve Arnold is regarded as one of the finest photojournalists of the 20th century. Invited to join Magnum Photos in 1951 by Robert Capa, it was with Magnum that she travelled the world documenting areas of America, China, the Middle East and the United Kingdom. A master of both black & white and colour, Arnold thrived in the golden age of photojournalism, when publications gave photographers great resources and freedom to practice their art. Opening in February 2011, this landmark exhibition comprises striking and sensitive works that capture not only iconic figures such as Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable but also the everyday lives of the less fortunate and the less known from around the world. Arnold had particular skills of empathy, whoever she was photographing, that helped her to build quick bonds of trust with her subjects. She once said, ‘What I have tried to do is involve the people I was photographing ... if they were willing to give, I was willing to photograph' — if anything, Arnold's work is about ‘people'. The exhibition is a collaboration with the Tosca Photography Fund — one of the finest collections of photographs in the world. As a result, we have been able to source a unique array of work. The Tosca Photography Fund is managed by Zelda Cheatle, who is not only a friend of Eve Arnold, but was also her long-term gallerist — it was in this capacity that Zelda was able to have access to such rare and sought-after pieces. As a result, ours will be one of the most comprehensive exhibitions of Eve Arnold's work in recent years. A quarter of the exhibition will celebrate the most notable relationship in Eve Arnold's career — that with Marilyn Monroe. At Marilyn's request, Arnold shot some of her most iconic portraits, taken over a 10-year period from the early 1950s, but mostly taken while she was filming The Misfits in Nevada in 1960. The pictures convey both the public and private faces of Marilyn, reflecting the trust and understanding that existed between the photographer and her subject. This exhibition is the first to be held at London's most exciting new photography gallery — Chris Beetles Fine Photographs. A natural expansion after 5 years' success as part of The Chris Beetles Gallery in St James's, the new space will endeavour to become a frontrunner in the UK's photography market and a destination for photography collectors and enthusiasts from across the country.