About Bert Stern:
Original Mad Man
In this exhibition of photographs by Bert Stern,
the full sweep of his remarkable career is
revealed; from the work that signaled his meteoric
rise in the advertising world of the 1950's through
the 1960's and 70's when he became the prototype
of the fashion photographer as the embodiment of
glamour: a legend himself.
Bert Stern began his career as a mailroom boy at
Look Magazine. The launch of his career and the
golden age of advertising would coincide with his
iconic and legendary campaign for Smirnoff Vodka
in 1955. With the brilliance of that work he became
a star in the world of advertising. Editorial work
followed, and working for Vogue put Bert Stern
at the pinnacle of his career. Sought after by
Madison Avenue, Hollywood, and the international
fashion scene, he was at the heart of the world of
photography.
Groundbreaking images of the great personalities
of the world, from Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton,
Marilyn Monroe and Twiggy to Louis Armstrong and
Frank Lloyd Wright, made Bert Stern a celebrity in his
own right. He became the center of an exciting studio
where the world of fashion, celebrity and advertising
revolved around him, all attracted by his energy,
charm and exceptional talent.
Stern lived on the edge and when his commercial
empire crumbled in the 1970's he dropped out of sight.
Since the 1980's he has rebuilt his career and his work
has undergone the reevaluation and appreciation
that is evident in this exhibition.
The release of the documentary Bert Stern: Original
Mad Man will coincide with the Staley-Wise exhibition.
The film is a particularly American and totally honest
story of self-creation, a fall from grace, and reinvention.
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