Ralph Gibson

Intimate, erotic, and eerie, Ralph Gibson is able to transform even an empty corner of a room into a poetic masterpiece with his signature Leica lens and a stark, meditative eye. Gibson began training for his long photographic career in the Navy and continued to hone his craft at the San Francisco Art Institute. He worked as an assistant to Dorothea Lange and Robert Frank, who inspired the 1970 publication of Gibson's first book, The Somnambulist.

His photographs, then and now, exude tension and barely contained energy. By turns sexual, disquieting, and surreal, each image is a narrative unto itself. His image Nude With Feather is one of the most coveted nude image on the art market today. The recipient of countless awards, including a fellowship from the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation in 1985 and two honorary doctorates, Gibson continues to inspire younger photographers with international exhibitions and more than 40 publications.

Interview with the Artist

1. Who is your favorite artist?
If I had to choose, it would be Matisse.
2. What is your favorite film?
Persona by Ingmar Bergman.
3. If not yourself, who would you want to be?
You.
4. What is your favorite quote?
"Include me out." —Sam Goldwyn
5. What is your favorite time of day or year?
Now.

SHOWS