Lot 215: JOEL BRODSKY

Jim Morrison, The Doors, The American poet, New York City
Numbered 3/3 in pencil and blindstamp credit in the margin. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist's wife.

127 x 127 cm (50 x 50 in).

Archival pigment print, printed later.

1967

The Doors with Ben Fong-Torres, The Doors, New York, 2006, p. 237 (detail)

Acquired directly from the estate of the artist

Joel Brodsky recalled his most famous shoot in a later interview: “The Doors were among the brighter groups I’d shot at that point. They had a visual orientation and seemed to understand the potential of a good photo session. Initially, there seemed to be a little jealously that Morrison was being put so up front in the photos, but basically the others understood that Jim was the sex symbol and an important visual focus for the band. After we’d done group shots, I shot some individual pictures of each member, saving Morrison for last. I knew I was going to be spending the most time with him, so I didn’t want them to have to sit around and wait too long. Well, while this was going on, Jim was drinking quite a bit. So by the time I got to shooting the individual shots of him, Morrison was pretty loose. The ‘American Poet’ shot was pretty near the end, I think. He wasn’t a wild drunk - actually he was kind of quiet - but his equilibrium wasn’t too terrific. Still, he was great to photograph because he had a very interesting look. It seemed like a good session to me, and then a week later, we ran one of the photos in The Village Voice. The story I’ve heard is that they got something like ten thousand requests for the picture. You know, Morrison never really looked that way again, and those pictures have become a big part of The Doors’ legend. I think I got him at his peak.”
Snap Galleries, London