On November 15th, 2010, Centre Pompidou Foundation -an American group dedicated to supporting the Centre Pompidou- received a gift of twelve photographs by Richard Avedon from The Richard Avedon Foundation. The Centre Pompidou Foundation has entrusted the media campaign of the gift to Communic’Art.

The photographs include masterful portraits by Avedon of such important figures as Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Alberto Giacometti, Coco Chanel, and Jean Renoir, and signature images from In the American West, regarded as an important hallmark in 20th century portrait photography—and by some as Avedon’s magnum opus.

The photographs were selected with the participation of Centre Pompidou curators Quentin Bajac and Clement Cheroux to fit within both the photography holdings and the broader collections of the museum. They will be exhibited at Centre Pompidou until mid-February 2011.

The Foundation’s mission is to acquire and encourage major gifts of American art and design destined for the Museum. The Foundation, founded in 1977 by Dominique de Menil and relaunched in 2005 by Scott Stover and Robert M. Rubin, includes American collectors and patrons.

Established by Richard Avedon during his lifetime, The Richard Avedon Foundation works to encourage a wider appreciation and understanding of his photography—by facilitating the exhibition and publication of his imagery; by organizing and providing public access to his archive, and creating educational programs devoted to his life and work; and by philanthropy in support of the field, particularly photographic education.

The Avedon Foundation’s donation of photographs comes on the eve of a special auction from their holdings, to be held at Christie’s Paris on November 20.

The proceeds from this sale will be used to establish an endowment in support of the Foundation’s philanthropic mission.

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Illustrations

Left : Francis Bacon, Artist, Paris, France, April 11, 1979 – Printed:  1979 – 50 x 80 – inches – Edition 6/10 + 2 APs

Right : Jean Genet, writer, New York City, March 11, 1970 – Printed:  1975 – 29 x 36 ½ inches – Edition 9/10