How to Interpret the Work of Diane Arbus

Dianne Arbus was one of the most powerful and weirdest photographers working in the late sixties--or any time. You can see her images reflected throughout pop culture: from Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” to “The Simpsons.” Artistic interpretation is of course subjective but here is an Arbus primer.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 

   View her most popular work, such as "Identical Twins, Roselle, N.J. 1967," the basis for the twins in “The Shining.” Kubrick’s use of the twins is appropriate, as there is something haunting about Arbus’s work. At the same time, she is sympathetic to her subjects rather than condescending. She has said, “Most people go through life dreading they'll have a traumatic experience. Freaks are born with their trauma. They've already passed it. They're aristocrats."

2. 

   Watch “The Simpsons”: Many of the characters (including the Twins, Sherry and Terry, which is a double-homage) are based on Arbus’s photos. Simpson’s creator Matt Groening has said that Bart Simpson is based on "Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park, New York City, 1962".

3. 

   View "Jewish Giant at Home with His Parents in The Bronx, NY." Photos such as this, as well as other photos of disabled people, show the everyday lives of challenged people. There is nothing particularly sad about these pictures, but a depiction of how people persevere. Still, there is an undercurrent of strangeness in all her pictures. She reveals that strangeness is an everyday part of life.

4. Learn about her life. Arbus’s work was a reflection of her own dark inner mood. She fought depression through most of her life. In 1966, she came down with hepatitis, which exacerbated her depression. However, this was her most prolific period. She eventually committed suicide in 1971.

Resources

• Diane Arbus on Google Images