Icons of the Twentieth Century

Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, (August 21, 2016) Las Vegas, NV

I made a quick trip to Las Vegas to see my son and take in a Rod Stewart concert at Caesar’s Palace. Sir Rod (recently knighted by the Queen) gave us his heart for a solid hour and one half. He doesn’t have a great voice but he is a great showman. In fact, he is an Artist. Complimenting his tonal voice, he creates great music and colossal audience response by combining a wonderful band (what a saxophone player!) with his incredible soul and energy.

Besides spending time with my Las Vegas lawyer, like the other 40 million plus visitors to Las Vegas each year, I come for the shows, tables, spa, and drink. Frequently on these quick trips, I stop for a culture break at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art located at the Bellagio Casino and Resort. The BGFA was part of Steve Wynn’s attempt to brand and differentiate the Bellagio property. Essentially Wynn’s cruising for upscale clients and high rollers (literally).

Sidebar – Speaking of re branding Steve Wynn is the master. Stephen Alan Weinberg changed his surname to Wynn, the perfect name for someone who operates gambling establishments. Wynn however even out did himself when he engaged the yoda of “the power of words”, Frank Luntz, to morph gambling into gaming. Voila, the Gaming Industry. Luntz is reported to have received one million dollars for this single act.

The Bellagio’s current Exhibition is “Icons of the Twentieth Century” Yousuf Karsh.

Karsh was the pre-eminent portrait photographer of his Century. He left his native Armenia at the age of sixteen to live with his Uncle, a photographer in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. His Uncle saw great potential in Yousuf and sent him to Boston to apprentice with portrait photographer, John Garo another Armenian. Garo said that Yousuf Karsh possessed a special ability to see. At the completion of his apprenticeship Karsh returned to Ottawa, Quebec working as portrait photography in a studio near the Canadian Parliament. Karsh became very successful locally and became a favorite of the Canadian Prime Minister who would arrange sittings for visiting foreign dignitaries at Karsh’s studio.

In December 1941 Karsh executed the most famous photographic portrait of all time, that of the visiting British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. The famous photographed screams DEFIANT!

The behind the scene story is fascinating. Churchill allowed Karsh only a brief five minutes for his sitting. Obviously in 1941 the PM had a few other things commanding his attention. Karsh sat Churchill in a chair for his photograph. Churchill had his ever-present Cigar clenched in his mouth when Karsh was fixing the lighting and staging the pose. Karsh asked the Prime Minister to remove the cigar, and Churchill refused. Karsh then walked over to Winnie and took the stogie from his mouth and placed it in a nearby ash tray, then returning to his camera. In the meantime Churchill got up from the seat agitated about his treatment and Karsh snapped his shutter and captured Churchill the Defiant.

This one photograph established Yousuf Karsh as THE International Portrait Photographer. From that moment forward his career was assured.

Karsh attempted to study his subjects in advance to understand their personalities and interests so he could make them relax and capture their best qualities. In addition to his reputation, knowing his subject allowed Karsh to gain their trust.

Karsh was a raconteur who loved life. This outlook enabled him through his art to release his subject’s soul. His great skill enabled him to memorialize his subjects.

The Icons of the Twentieth Century included a phenomenal collection of photographs of the famous. Included of course was the obligatory self-portrait and those of two other photographers, his mentor John Garo and Ansel Adams. Both Adams and Karsh while artists were technocrats. Karsh had the people gene and Adams the landscape gene.

Beyond the photographers other artists included (and there were many) were Georgia O’Keefe, Andy Warhol (holding a paint brush), Alexander Calder, Bridgette Bardot, Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, Judy Garland, a photograph of Karsh/Jim Henson/Kermit the frog, Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse, Ingrid Bergman, Alfred Hitchcock, Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Rudolph Nureyev, Marian Anderson, Stephen Sondheim, Ernest Hemmingway (who Karst found shy), Robert Frost, and George Bernard Shaw.

Perhaps the most unique photograph was of Pablo Casals. The famous musician was shown from the back playing his cello. Casals face could not be seen but the identity of the subject and what was in his soul was unmistakable. Two photographs that caught my attention were how Karsh highlighted his subject’s hands. The eerily similar photographs were of Georgia O’Keeffe and Muhammad Ali. The extremely photographic (he would say “beautiful” Ali also screamed DEFIANT!

Karsh claimed his favorite subject was Helen Keller.

The artist(s) that grabbed my attention was one of the Marx Brothers, Julius (Groucho), Arthur (Harpo), and Leonard (Chico).

Beyond, Churchill world leaders included were fabulous photographs of Dwight Eisenhower, a young Princess Elizabeth, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela. There was a young Jacqueline Kennedy included in the exhibit as well.

Karsh found art everywhere. There were photographs of the Apollo XI Crew (the first men on the moon), Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Le Corbusier, and I M Pei.

It was interesting to learn that in preparing to photograph Einstein, Karsh found Einstein was a violinist. During the session Karsh asked him if there were an association between arts and science. Einstein replied there exists a harmony in all things. Perhaps this is an easy simile of the theory of relativity?

Pei’s portrait was my favorite in the exhibition. The portrait portrayed a man of vision who yet seemed very happy. I am an optimist. I like optimists.

To my surprise and edification there is a great similarity between Rod Stewart and Yousuf Karsh. Stewart’s production overcomes his mediocre performance voice as Karsh’s artistry elevated photography to the performance level of originally designed art like drawing or painting.

Both of these artists success comes through their individual interpretation and implementation.