Palm Springs Fine Arts Fair Honors Greg Gorman

In the beginning, it was rock-and-roll that drew Gorman to the lens.

Remember that borrowed Honeywell Pentax camera? Gorman took it to a Jimi Hendrix concert to shoot photos of the iconic singer-guitarist and rock god. "Some of my early jobs were album covers for Leon Russell and The Byrds," says Gorman, recalling the period before he began doing still photography for the movie industry. "But the main part of my career really took off with the film Tootsie, which starred Dustin Hoffman in 1981."

He still remembers the hours spent in Hoffman's dressing room on the set. "I would sit in the dressing room with Dustin in the early hours with him in full makeup as Dorothy," Gorman says. "He was funny - making jokes in his skullcap and eye lashes. Dustin has a fantastic sense of humor." That sense of humor helped alleviate some of the anxiety on the set of the film, according to Gorman. "Sydney Pollack was concerned about making this big-budget film with this risky plot. But, of course, Tootsie was a huge success."

As actor and Warhol acolyte Udo Kier recently noted, "Greg's work documents that peculiar obsession of the 21st century celebrity." Indeed, Gorman has photographed an array of movie stars ranging from Bette Davis to Leonardo Dicaprio. His unique style made him a darling of advertising campaigns featuring celebrities for Rolex, Levi Strauss and L.A. Eyeworks.

It is the male form that Gorman is perhaps best known for, captured in his strong, black-and-white stills. It might even be said that his photography defined the visual archetype of physical masculinity in the late 20th and early 21st century.

His books of photography number in the dozens and include Greg Gorman, Volumes I and II, Journal of the 21st Century: Greg Gorman, and In Their Youth: Early Portraits. The latter title features some of the most energetic and provocative images of household-name celebrities, including Tom Cruise, before they were household names.

When Gorman is not working at his studio in the Hollywood Hills or teaching his workshop, or enjoying his home in the Mendicino wine country-and
yes, Gorman does have his own wine label, called GKG, with fruit sourced via Orin Swift winery - Gorman is likely in Europe. "I love Europe," Gorman says. "I'll spend four to five months at a time there."

Recently, the photographer completed a tour of Scandinavia, which included stops in Zurich, Copenhagen and Berlin. In Berlin, he helped open an iconoclastic (not to mention, very prestigious) exhibition of his work with that of Helmut Newton at the Helmut Newton Foundation. "It's kind of interesting to see Helmut Newton's famous female nudes juxtaposed with my male nudes," Gorman muses.

Gorman says he is deeply humbled and grateful, yet somewhat surprised to be receiving lifetime achievement awards. After all, he is far from retired from photography-although he has limited the amount of work he does for films these days. "I'm 64 years old, and I'm working all the time," says Gorman. "While I still do the movie stuff, I only do that these days with a few close friends."

Asked who was the most satisfying celebrity to work with, Gorman is reluctant to single out one of the myriad stars he has worked with through the years. "Bette Midler was always fun to photograph," he said. "Michael (Jackson) was fantastic to photograph. Two weeks out, he'd call me about what to do. Michael was perfect, always came early; always stayed late; always gave 110 percent."

Udo Kier will present Greg Gorman with the "Photographer of the Year" award at the Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, Friday, February 14 from 5-6 p.m. There will also be a VIP reception and book signing by Gorman.

For more information or to purchase tickets go to palmspringsfineartfair.com