Icons by Oscar
“I thought then that Oscar was one of the best. And now, almost 40 years later, I still do!” – Graydon Carter, Editor-In-Chief, Vanity Fair.
“Here are some of Mr. Abolafia’s most enduring portraits of the rich and infamous […]. Thank Oscar for preserving these thrilling images so we will never forget.” Dick Stolley, Founding Editor People Magazine.
Frank. Sammie. Paul. Andy. Twiggy. Jack. Elizabeth. Elvis. Jim. Marlene. John. Priscilla. Yoko. Ginger. Janis. Mick. Fred. Salvador. Cher. Audrey. Very few celebrities are so iconic that their first name is all that’s needed to immediately recognise them. One photographer has captured every one of these icons – and more besides – on film. He goes by the name of Oscar Abolafia. You can call him Oscar.
Oscar Abolafia (1935 - 2020) was an American photographer known for his outstanding photojournalism of the celebrities that made the 1960s and 70s truly extraordinary. At a young age, William Vandivert, one of the founders of Magnum Photos, took him on as an assistant and showed him the ropes about technical and lighting skills. Abolafia's work made the pages of world-famous magazines such as People Magazine, Vanity Fair and Harper's Bazaar. Over a span of 50 years of work in the field of photography, he was able to build personal and intimate relationships with the most enduring stars of our age, such as the Kennedys, Liz Taylor, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, to name but a few.