One of the most unconventional female artists of the 20th century, Lee Miller was admired for her classical beauty, intelligence, and photographic talent. This retrospective showing now at the SF Moma spans her career as a photographer and explores her transformation from muse and model to groundbreaking artist in her own right. Born in New York in 1907, Miller modeled for Vogue before meeting Man Ray in Paris in 1929. Inspired by his work, Miller began creating her own striking surrealist photographs. Later, she became a war photographer for British Vogue and was the only woman in combat photojournalism in Europe during World War II. After the war, she continued a nimble photographic practice, with later work including high-comedy portraits of art-world friends such as Max Ernst, Alfred H. Barr Jr., and Saul Steinberg.
If you’re unfamiliar with Miller, check out this amazing online feature that highlights Lee Miller’s extraordinary life and work through zoom-enabled images; video commentary by her son Antony Penrose and art historian Whitney Chadwick; and an archival audio clip of the artist herself.
And definitely check out her exhibit currently showing from now until September 14 at the SFMOMA!
