A new exhibit focusing on Richard Avedon 's celebrated photos of political and cultural newsmakers invites visitors to rethink the concept of portraits in the age of the selfie . Richard Avedon : Family Affairs opens Wednesday at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia . The collection starkly depicts dozens of U.S. movers and shakers from the 1960s and '70s - including Edward Kennedy , Ronald Reagan , Nelson Rockefeller and George Bush - in the artist 's trademark black-and-white style . Also featured is a small biographical display on Avedon , who was raised Jewish in New York . Men in suits : A new exhibit focuses on Richard Avedon 's celebrated photos of political and cultural newsmakers - ( left to right ) publisher Walter Annenberg , California governor Jerry Brown and 41st President George Bush - in the artist 's trademark black-and-white style . Muses : Richard Avedon : Family Affairs is now on in Philadelphia ( from left , Katharine Graham president of The Washington Post Company , Barbara C. Jordan the first African American congresswoman and Bella Abzug , a member of U.S. Congress and champion of women 's rights ) 'Avedon 's work is generally shown in art museums as art , with very little historical interpretation , ' said chief curator Josh Perelman . 'We invite Avedon in both as a creator and a character . ' Avedon made his name shooting fashion models for magazines like Harper 's Bazaar and Vogue , but 'Family Affairs ' stems mainly from his work covering the 1976 presidential election for Rolling Stone magazine . Originally planning to spotlight the campaigns of incumbent Gerald Ford and challenger Jimmy Carter , Avedon soon realized he wanted to include a wider array of the era 's most influential people , Perelman said . Men in suits comprise nearly all his subjects , distinguished by variations in their stances and expressions : Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld , former California Gov . Ronald Reagan , consumer advocate Ralph Nader and NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle , to name a few . We 're looking at you : The collection starkly depicts dozens of U.S. movers and shakers from the 1960s and '70s - including Edward Kennedy , Ronald Reagan , Nelson Rockefeller and George Bush - in the artist 's trademark black-and-white style . Rise to fame : Avedon ( seen in self potraits above ) made his name shooting fashion models for magazines like Harper 's Bazaar and Vogue , but 'Family Affairs ' stems mainly from his work covering the 1976 presidential election for Rolling Stone magazine . Only a handful of the 12-by-15-inch framed images portray women or minorities , among them Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham and labor activist Cesar Chavez . Rolling Stone called the 69 portraits 'The Family , ' though the only people with biological ties are Ted Kennedy and his mother , Rose . Visitors can also page through hard copies of the 40-year-old magazine issue , or look at a digital edition . Yet the exhibit space is dominated by a wall-size display of poet Allen Ginsberg 's family . It 's one of four featured group portraits that Avedon took between 1969 and 1971 . Much smaller pictures include Andy Warhol and members of The Factory ; the Chicago 7 , who were arrested during the 1968 Democratic National Convention ; and the Mission Council , who were key players in the Vietnam War . The exhibit notes Avedon stood next to his camera , not behind it , when making his photos . Added attraction : Museum officials have set up a computer to take Avedon-inspired pictures of guests against a white backdrop edged in black ; the images can be both printed and shared via social media , blending the concepts of portraits and selfie . Second-time around : 'Family Affairs ' is based on an exhibition held last year at The Israel Museum in Jerusalem . ' I am close enough to touch the subject , and there is nothing between us except what happens as we observe on another during the making of the portrait , ' Avedon said . Museum officials have set up a computer to take Avedon-inspired pictures of guests against a white backdrop edged in black ; the images can be both printed and shared via social media , blending the concepts of portraits and selfie . Avedon died in 2004 , before selfies entered popular culture , but even he was n't immune to the concept . As a teen , Avedon used a mirror to take a picture of himself and high school classmate James Baldwin , who later went on to literary fame . That photo is on display as well . 'Family Affairs ' is based on an exhibition held last year at The Israel Museum in Jerusalem . The Philadelphia site will be the only U.S. venue for the images , which are on view through August 2 .
Richard Avedon : Family Affairs is now open at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia . Avedon , from New York , made his name shooting fashion models for magazines like Harper 's Bazaar and Vogue . But 'Family Affairs ' stems mainly from his work covering the 1976 presidential election for Rolling Stone magazine . The exhibit is based on one held last year at The Israel Museum in Jerusalem .