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I remember around this time last year coming across an article online in the New York Times about Annie Leibovitz's new book, "A Photographer's Life, 1990 - 2005". I have always been a fan of her celebrity photos in Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, as well as her groundbreaking career as a female photographer, so was interested in reading about this new book's subject matter. I didn't actually know much about her life, and was sad to read that Susan Sontag, her long-time partner, died of leukemia in late 2004.
But what stuck with me all this time, what made makes me remember reading the article, was one particular photo of Leibovitz's. This is a photograph Leibovitz took of Sontag, post-mortem:
I believe two of the Five Reasons to Regard Beauty* apply to this image. First, because its existence is analogous to the good and the true it once symbolized. I think Kant's middle road aesthetic perspective is most fitting for this image, as I personally have conflicting thoughts. Part of me thinks this is image is a wonderful memorial to Sontag, completing Leibovitz's photographical chronicles of her life; part of me thinks that perhaps there is a story behind it that only Leibovitz and Sontag will ever know; part of me thinks that this image will touch someone else that has had a similar experience with the death of a loved one; and then there is part of me that thinks that the modern world has made death a bit taboo, and Leiboviz is showing us that Sontag will forever be beautiful to her - a perfect subject for a portrait - even at death.
I believe the second reason to regard this image as beautiful is, because is encourages a contemplative, appreciative, patient attitude in us and at least rebukes automatic recourse to appetitive desire. To be honest, at first look, I found this photograph really hard to look at. But it made me think, "why would she share such an intimate image of the woman she publicly proclaimed her love of, with the world?". I think Leibovitz's message, as layered and deep as it may be, is that through all of our desires to look picture-perfect, her love for Sontag and the woman that she was is the epitome of beauty. As someone that has made her fortune taking pictures of perfect, flawless, "beautiful" celebrities, with this image of Sontag, she is throwing all of those ideas of beauty out the window. She is telling us this is what beauty is. This woman that I loved, that has died before my eyes, is still beautiful even at death.
Changing gears for a moment, I also wanted to note that, Umberto Eco's passage from The History of Beauty really resonated with me:
"We can consider human beings to be most beautiful, even though we may not desire them sexually, or if we know that they can never be ours. But if we desire a human being (who might also be ugly) and yet cannot have the kind of relationship we desire with him or her, then we suffer."
I realized that all too often I have an inner conflict between appreciating beauty and desiring that which is beautiful. Last night I went to a dinner party at a friend's house who had a beautiful kitchen, something that have been wanting to redo in my home. I thought of this kitchen all night (sad, isn't it?), even frowning a bit at my own when I made my morning cup of tea. I said to my husband, "Their kitchen was amazing, wasn't it". And he responded, "Absolutely, it gave me some great ideas for ours whenever we get around to it." Not a bit of jealously in his voice, not the desire to rip the tile off the counter that very second (she says while whistling and looking around). Just an appreciation for a pretty kitchen. I know this story sounds pathetic, and trust me, its embarrassing to even admit it. I felt pretty teeny tiny.
I now I am reviewing the lecture, and reread Eco's quote. All too often I feel this need to feed my desires for the newest, the greatest, the best. I think both Eco and Leibovitz have taught me something very important. One, to be content with and appreciate being fortune enough to experience something beautiful; and two, to appreciate the beautiful things (family, friends, accomplishments) that I already have.
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Touché, Mr. Johnson. Touché.
*If you want to know these five reasons, you must pay the $1800 it cost me to take this course.
