Patti Smith American Artist

Description

A stunning collection of photographs from Frank Stefanko featuring the Godmother of Punk herself, iconic musician-turned-author Patti Smith. "Frank always shot your internal life. He let your external imperfections show. His photos had a purity and poetry; there was some humor..." --Bruce Springsteen Patti Smith was a favorite photographic subject for Frank Stefanko during his college years. "Patti had jet-black hair and pale blue eyes that could see right through you. When I visited New York, I started photographing Patti, I was captivated by her look . . . tall, thin, with porcelain skin, sharp features, and those piercing eyes. With me, in terms of portraits, it's always the eyes first, then the rest of the face comes into view." Patti Smith came to prominence during the punk rock movement in the 1970s, with her highly regarded 1975 debut album, Horses. She has been called "punk rock's poet laureate" because of her feminist sensibilities and intellectual approach to her music. As a result, she is one of rock and roll's most influential female musicians, and according to Rolling Stone, one of "The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time."

Author description

Author of Days of Hopes and Dreams: An Intimate Portrait of Bruce Springsteen, Frank Stefanko is a fine art photographer whose work graces the album covers of Bruce Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town and The River. Stefanko's portfolio includes vintage and contemporary photographs of The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Janis Joplin, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Bette Midler, Johnny Winters, as well as Bruce and Patti. Frank Stefanko grew up near the working class neighborhood of Bruce Springsteen, and was first introduced to the performer in 1978 by their mutual friend Patti Smith. He lives in New Jersey. Guitarist, composer and writer Lenny Kaye was a member of the Patti Smith Group, and has been Smith's most frequent collaborator. He is also the co-author of Waylon Jennings' autobiography, Waylon: An Autobiography. Patti Smith is a musician, singer, and poet. On July 10, 2005, Smith was named a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry, honored for her influence on rock and roll and her appreciation for Arthur Rimbaud.