Where: National Portrait GalleryWhen: until January 23, 2011
Lots of people are bigger fans of Elvis Presley than I am. Don't misunderstand me, I have nothing against him, and I recognize his place in musical and American history. I'm just not someone who worships him, or thinks he's still alive somewhere, or believes that I've had his baby.
Nevertheless, there's still much to like in this exhibit, even for the non-rabid fan. The show consists of photographs of Elvis by Alfred Wertheimer, shot over the course of a short period of time in 1956, just before he became a big star. The photographs themselves are beautiful; intimate moments and public scenes alike are captured in mostly black and white portraits. Elvis comes across as completely accessible and open to other people, as well as a bit naive and wide-eyed about all the interest in his music. This is not the fat Vegas-y Elvis of later years, but the heartthrob of the Eisenhower administration era.
Pictures that I particularly noticed included one of Elvis in New York City, talking to a young girl looking very proper in her white gloves. It occurs to me that the gloves are about to come off in terms of American pop culture; neither Elvis nor his fans had any idea what was ahead of them.
The second shot was one of Steve Allen discussing Elvis signature hip movements and how they might not be appropriate for his program. It reminded me of Ed Sullivan trying to get The Doors to change their lyrics a decade later.
My only criticism is that it's a bit difficult to figure out the layout of the show. I wanted to look at the photos in chronological order, but I found myself zigzagging from room to room in order to do so. A guide of some sort would have been nice, maybe numbers on the photos?
Verdict: Check out this show if you're an Elvis fan, a pop culture buff or a photography enthusiast. It's a picture of a moment in time.
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