ArtBistro

She is just human. Being a very talented artist does not put one above the laws of cause and effect. For all we know, those who don't know her personally, poverty could help her lead a spiritually lavish life.

She needs to sleep in the bed she made!

I think Annie has a place in photographic history, but glorifying people, the beautiful Hollywood people, who live lives filled with excess...in the end, as catchy as the photographs have been, I think her talent could have been put to better use. Her photographs despite her creativity, all are about the self-glorification of the rich and famous who live privileged lives. I have liked some of her photographs, but it does seem filled with formula. A True Artist recognizes where all true art comes from...God. God created the Heavens and the Earth. Much art, including photography today has become perverted. If you look back to The Italian Renaissance, we have not had that level of artistry in this world quite like that for hundreds of years. Why is that? Few artists today give glory to God, like the artists of the renaissance have done. As a result, their work showed their connection to their maker, God. Ignorance and self glorification with artistry is shallow and lacking depth. Look at The Sistine Chapel. It all glorifies God. Who today in the art world is giving God his respect and honor, for their talent. Very few and it is not something that the masses embrace. When I see article after article in the photo publications of Annie and her mastery of the medium and her life's work...not to downplay her contribution to photography...but it is so unbalanced on how she seems to be the only photographer we see again and again in the articles. Why can't we give other up and coming artists a chance for exposure? Sorry, I don't feel sorry for excessive living without responsibility. I'm sure someone in the famous celebrity circle will come to her rescue. What about those who are less fortunate, who are gifted artists, who have fallen on hard times? Share your editorial space for other people who are trying to have a genuine voice with photography. We get enough of Hollywood from the tabloids. How about some real life coverage of real people. Let's make art with photography and make it about life that points to our Creator, God...and our perfecter of faith to those who believe, Jesus Christ. Michelangelo was passionate about his art, and look what he accomplished by glorifying God...a body of work that is unparalled throughout the world. There is a connection to the depth of what he created. God blessed him with talent to that degree because he depicted art that illustrated the beauty and magnifiicience of the one and only True God. When we celebrate artists who help in the self-glorification of other artists...the depth of life's real meaning is truly missing. I feel this was a trait of Leibovitz's work instead of using her talent to point her talent in someway back to God, like Michelangelo did. What I think is inaccurate is the level of her artistry. People need to take a look at history and the The Italian Rennaissance. Study the depth and mastery of the art created back then. The photographers of today are all copying each other. Nothing is unique. No one is unique.
The ignorance of where all art comes from, or shallowness of art is largely due to the absence of The Almighty God. Good luck Annie! Maybe use your talent away from Hollywood and stop glamourizing the rich and famous. Find vision in real people, like Mary Ellen Mark. God gave you a gift. Instead of glorifying others who are privileged, pray that God will show you what great new frontier you can find with your camera and vision that will give glory back to God, our creator...where all true art comes from.

perhaps she should just rename herself as a financial institution and then the government would be obligated to bail her out like they did all the other banks. otherwise, think of how many people would lose their jobs. right? XP

I have lost my house (my ONLY home, not one of several) it's gone, and I'll never get that dream back. When did any one care for me or the rest of my family of six? No one cared, except for my "friends" and "family" who were more than willing to take ownership of some of my possessions since I had nowhere to keep them, and my sister, who gave me a "decorative" ceramic chamber pot for Christmas that year so I'd at least have a pot to piss in when I lost the house. The same sister who dropped me off at the homeless shelter with my wife and four kids and went back to her four bedroom house she lived in by herself. So when I read this story of the poor filthy rich artist it fills me with disgust, not sympathy. I struggle every single day to make a living with my art, let alone get rich from it. She had it, and she blew it. Excuse me if I don't join the pity party.

It's sad to know that a person of talent can lose their life's work over the financing of a life... Perhaps we can all learn a lesson in that no matter who we are, or what great art we can produce... we still have to pay for our indulgences... Perhaps she could reach an understanding with her creditors, and only sell part of her collection, keep her homes, and come out of it sadder but wiser... let's hope for the best for her.

dear truelartlover
u are terribly confused. and ur belief system is totally f*****. God is dead and has been for years. try reading something besides that mythical poetry and human jumbled up mess u usually read to bolster you lack of intelligence and confidence in yourself. idiot!

simple statement - NO ONE should be free from responsibility for what they spend. period. if one person is, all should be. considering how many starving struggling creative folks there are out there that work crappy jobs just to feed themselves, i would say that this whole situation with Annie is rather crass. she should not be free from financial obligation because she is an artist or has a well known name. this simply serves to show that being well known or famous does not make one responsible.