THE RICH LIFE

Diane Arbus and her outsiders

therichlife — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:30:19 +0000

I was lucky to be in Paris earlier this year while the Diane Arbus retrospective was being presented at the Jeu de Paume. For those who might be unfamiliar with her work, Arbus is best known for her black-and-white photographs of outsiders, those who seem to be unable to fit into conventional roles in society. Her subjects included transvestites, giants, circus performers, and nudists, and some of her most striking images can be seen here.

Since I live in Palm Beach, certain of her images have a special resonance for me, in particular the photographs that she took of Mrs. T. Charlton Henry in 1965. Take a look at this photograph and you’ll see what I mean:

This grande dame, with her striking, massive bouffant, was an unusual subject for Arbus, who usually focused on the disenfranchised, but, in her own way, Mrs. T. Charlton Henry, who was a widow (albeit a wealthy widow), was also an outsider.

A string of pearls and a house full of gold brocade can only take you so far when you’re otherwise all alone.

The official pose of the 2012 Women in the Economy conference

therichlife — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:30:29 +0000

An article published earlier this week in the Wall Street Journal entitled The XX Factor: What’s Holding Women Back? focused on obstacles that women face in their efforts to play a role in our country’s economy. The attendees offered thoughts that were both interesting and provocative, but I was also struck by the way that the Wall Street Journal chose to portray them. Take a look at the article’s photos and see if you can figure out what they have in common:

Odd, don’t you think?

Two entertaining comments on my final column of the season

therichlife — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:50:48 +0000

Sticks and stones

therichlife — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 10:30:37 +0000

Here’s a link to my last column of the season in today’s Shiny Sheet.

The running man

therichlife — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 10:30:54 +0000

Here’s a link to my column in today’s Shiny Sheet.