Icons and Legends: The Photography of Michael Childers

Icons and Legends spans the career of American photographer Michael Childers, including many photographs that are published for the first time. Childers was one of the founding photographers for Andy Warhol’s magazine Interview; he photographed magazine covers for Elle, Life, and Vogue; and he worked as a special photographer for films and London National Theater productions.

Working mostly with black and white film, Childers has captured the icons and legends of popular culture and the art world. His stunning portraits include Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner, Clint Eastwood, Catherine Deneuve, Rock Hudson, and Carol Channing. Several portraits are of special importance because they were taken early in the actors' careers, before they became celebrities: Sissy Spacek, Demi Moore, Mel Gibson, John Travolta, Richard Gere, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Equally important are portraits of the great film industry legends who helped establish and build the stars' careers, including film directors Billy Wilder and John Schlesinger and costume designer Edith Head.

In addition to stars of the film world, Childers has produced portraits of contemporary artists, architects, writers, and musicians. These include a series of photographs of Andy Warhol in his New York studio and Paris apartment, and a series of David Hockney in his Hollywood and London studios. Other portraits include artists Sam Francis, Edward Ruscha, Robert Graham, and Ed Moses; architects Richard Meier and E. Stewart Williams; musicians Ringo Starr, Cat Stevens, Grace Jones, and Rod Stewart; and writers Tennessee Williams, Micky Spillane, and Christopher Rice.