Talk:Diane Arbus/Archives/2016

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On her book "On Photography" Susan Sontag mentions that Arbus's work  "shows people who are pathetic, pitiable, as well repulsive, but it does not arouse any compassionate feelings.  For that would be more correctly described as their disassociated point of view..." later, Sontag also writes "The fact of her suicide seems to guarantee that her work is sincere, not voyeuristic, that is compassionate, not cold." According to Sontag, Arbus's work was a way to rebel from social conventions and her "desire to violate her own innocence". The paragraphs do not make references of Arbus demeaning her subjects. Sontag, Susan; "On Photography", First Anchor Books Edition, 1990, pp 32-45.

The movie Fur is fiction, a "starling combination of fairytale, psychological study, period piece and love story", according to the released DVD. The screenwriters and producers wanted to recreate the tale of what made Arbus leave her "perfect" family life and take that "first" portrait. The "birth" of the artist and all the things an artist leaves behind. Lionel is the "bridge", the reason why someone like Diane would adventure into a world completely unknown and dangerous to her. The movie has lots of references to Alice in Wonderland idea that came from Arbus's own comments on her work (being Alice in Wonderland for adults). MP.

^^ Steven Shainberg mentioned that Arbus considered her work a type of Alice in Wonderland for adults in the film commentary, however there seems to be no written record of this quote in any biographies, letters or other published material. There is in fact little in Bosworth's biography that mentions Alice (with only three references, one in references to books Diane read, one in her childhood explaining field trips - which seems to be descriptive at best, and another when referencing the quotes made in her 1969 Dec Harper's Bazaar photo essay). As the credits of this film explicitly reference only Bosworth's book and no others as the primary research material for this film, I think he may have over-embellished or flat out mistakenly attributed Arbus to this quote. RH.

How about a picture of her?
 * There's a nice one of her holding the "Boy with toy grenade" photo in a book I have, but I don't believe it's copyright-free. RodC 01:36, 27 May 2005 (UTC)


 * Where do these photograph interpretations come from? For example, Some viewers see how the man's unusual body has not interfered with a normal, happy homelife. Others viewers see a stiffness in the parents' postures that shows a gulf between Eddie and his family. Others still see surprise in Mrs. Carmel's expression looking up at her son, as if for the first time. It's odd reading this, since I know rather precisely that two of the three intepretations are hooey; my personal experience being ], it's irrelevant, but whose interpretations are those? --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon&#8711;&#8710;&#8711;&#8710; 20:48, 11 June 2006 (UTC)

How did she commit suicide, and why is the movie called "Fur"?

She slit her wrists and took barbituates. It might be called "Fur" because her father was a fur dealer in the 30s and 40s and in her last apartment she had a coverlet made out of many fur scraps for her to sleep on.

I was under the impression it was called "fur" because it details her relationship with Lionel the dog-faced boy as well as her background of her fathers Fur business. Although, the movie is fictionalized i was unable to ascertain whether she ever did actually have a relationship with Lionel or if this part was entirely made up just to exacerbate the seemingly strained relationship with her parents and the wealth and normalcy they came from and expected her to follow in, instead of the direction she went in of finding the freaks and bottom dwellers and her obvious search for the art in the estranged underbellies of society. but who knows?

Diane Arbus Suicide?
I like many people, have viewed the documentery;, The Geniues Of Photography and learned that Diane Arbus was a suicide. On searching for her dates of birth and death, I found she was born on a Wedneday and Died on a Monday. She was not a suicde. Of all the confirmed suicide deaths I have researched, they have died on the day of their birth, which in the case of Diane Arbus, a Wednesday. She died on a Monday. So what really caused her death? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.124.72.186 (talk) 13:39, 14 March 2010 (UTC)
 * that's certainly an eccentric notion you have. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.174.233.97 (talk) 12:12, 26 May 2016 (UTC)