The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
presents:
Herb Ritts:
L.A. Style

HERB RITTS (American, 1952–2002), Mark Findlay I, Los Angeles, 1990, Gelatin silver print, © Herb Ritts Foundation

"He revolutionized fashion photography,
modernized the nude,
and transformed celebrities into icons."

Herb Ritts mirrored our elegance.
He gave us a dignity that commanded respect.
At a time when we needed it the most, he gave us invincibility.

In 2002, Herb’s untimely death came from AIDS-related complications.
He was inducted into the Tom of Finland Foundation Artist Hall of Fame in 2003.

Through hard work and a distinctive vision, Herb Ritts (1952–2002) fashioned himself into one of the top photographers to emerge from the 1980s. Ritts's aesthetic incorporated facets of life in and around Los Angeles. He often made use of the bright California sunlight to produce bold contrasts, and his preference for outdoor locations such as the desert and the beach helped to separate his work from that of his New York-based peers.

Ritts's intimate portraiture, his modern yet classical treatment of the nude, and his innovative approach to fashion brought him international acclaim and placed him securely within an American tradition of portrait and magazine photography that includes Richard Avedon, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Irving Penn.

From the late 1970s until 2002, his ability to create images that successfully bridged the gap between art and commerce was not only a testament to the power of his imagination and technical skill but also marked the synergistic union between art, popular culture, and business that followed in the wake of the Pop Art movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
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Herb Ritts: L.A. Style Information Page