Not long ago, the filmmaker and photographer Jerry Schatzberg feared he would not be praised in his lifetime. However, last May, the Cannes Film Festival honored him by using his portrait of Faye Dunaway as the official poster of the festival. At Banyuls-sur-Mer, in the South of France, a new exhibition proposes to revisit in images his meeting with Bob Dylan, who has just celebrated his 70th birthday.
The idea originated from Olivier Lorquin, president of the Musée Maillol. The series evolves around the two years 1965 through 1967 in which the photographer became close to the songwriter. At the time, Schatzberg worked for the biggest American fashion magazines and enjoyed being a part of the rock world. He shot the Beatles and turned the Rolling Stones into drag-queens. Dylan is a part of the folk family, he sings protest songs and embraces social causes. Many see in him the continuation of Woody Guthrie, his mentor whose guitar would have engraved the phrase: “This machine kills fascists”. Nevertheless, tempted by the novelty, Dylan betrays his fans and turns electric.
The first meeting between Bob and Jerry was made by Nico, singer of the Velvet Underground and model for Schatzberg. The singer is an introvert and a reserved character. However, he soon begins to trust the photographer. Schatzberg will be able to do what no one could until then. He brings Bob Dylan into a studio, puts a cigarette in his mouth and has him pose in rock ‘n roll-esque situations. He creates a sentimental relationship and in 1966 one of his photos will be the cover for the Blonde on Blonde album.
The exhibition is organized in the following way: “We begin with the emblematic pictures from Highway 61, first electric work from Bob Dylan”, says Olivier Lorquin. “You wanted rock, here it is, then.” The photographs follow a chronological order and show the privacy of the two protagonists, that will end in 1967. Among the images, a never-before-seen shot is featured: Bob Dylan wearing a dark sailor jacket and a checkered scarf, with a funny nod and preparing to light a cigarette. The scene is happening in New York, along a typical fire escape ladder in Manhattan.
For the 150th anniversary of the Museum Maillol, Olivier Lorquin has chosen Banyuls to Paris, simply “to bring an excellent exhibition to a region that loves photography”. He continues: “The Musée Maillol in Banyuls merits the trip. A bus must be taken, outside of town, in the middle of the mountains. A dream site but almost inaccessible. “ The Languedoc-Roussillon region will be hosting this September the Visa pour l’Image Festival in Perpignan. “I dare hope that they will invite Jerry Schatzberg as the star, as they did last year with William Klein.”
Jonas Cuénin
Bob Dylan, photographié par Jerry Schatzberg
Through 30 octobre 2011
Musée Maillol de Banyuls-sur-Mer
Vallée de la Roume
66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer
