Annie Leibovitz's Wonderland: A Career Retrospective Opens in Spain

The acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz has unveiled "Wonderland," her first major exhibition in Spain, presented by the Marta Ortega Pérez Foundation. Opening in A Coruña, the exhibition features iconic images of global figures such as Rihanna, Penélope Cruz, Pedro Almodóvar, Elon Musk, and Salman Rushdie. Leibovitz described Rihanna as "a super-intelligent woman," highlighting the depth of her subjects.

Born in Connecticut, US, in 1949, Leibovitz's remarkable career spans five decades, meticulously explored within "Wonderland." Renowned as the artist behind some of pop culture's most emblematic images and crucial moments in American history, Leibovitz views the exhibition as a "historical document of the world we've lived through." She emphasized her core interest in portraiture, stating, "Everyone is interesting. Everyone has something," and noting her desire to "understand" the person and discover other artists' creative processes. However, she holds profound respect for photojournalism, calling it "the most extraordinary photography," and commends reporters who risk their lives for an image. Above all, Leibovitz strives for timelessness in her work, declaring, "I like them to last."

Located at the MOP Foundation's space in the port of A Coruña, the exhibition will be open to the public from Saturday, November 22, until May 1, 2026. Visitors will have the opportunity to view hundreds of images, many exhibited for the first time, including the formal portraits she took of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, which now adorn the walls of the Bank of Spain. Leibovitz recounted, "They were both surprised that I wanted to take such a formal photo, but I was interested in starting from tradition."

While two rooms of the exhibition are dedicated to fashion and Hollywood, Leibovitz confessed that early in her career, she didn't take fashion "very seriously." Her initial focus was on "technique rather than fashion," leading her to spend hours at news-stands observing the work of photographers she admired. However, she acknowledged the necessity of understanding fashion to photograph it effectively, attributing her evolution into a fashion photographer to the influence of Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue.

Beyond a chronological journey through her career, "Wonderland" offers a unique glimpse into Leibovitz's creative process, often revealing how she constructs her powerful images. She introduces what she terms her "journalistic facet," embedding subtle social commentary without words. A compelling example is her photograph of Kim Kardashian, holding her daughter and taking a selfie with a mobile phone, while her ex-husband captures another moment with an iPad, all alongside Leibovitz’s own lens.

The exhibition commences with a mural Leibovitz calls the "learning" one for young photographers, featuring images from the Rolling Stones' 1975 tour, which she joined as a student, initially believing she mastered color – a claim she now admits "wasn't true." Her career path led her from Rolling Stone magazine to Vanity Fair, where she delved into social realities, a period that ultimately ushered her into the world of Vogue, with fashion and Hollywood at her command. Leibovitz, who captured the last image of John Lennon before his murder, also created other iconic works such as the controversial 1991 Vanity Fair cover featuring a nude and pregnant Demi Moore, a portrait later emulated by artists like Rihanna. The exhibition also includes lesser-known portraits of figures like Tom Cruise and a young Scarlett Johansson, alongside images of athletes, environmental and human rights activists, her parents driving, and even her "dealer," all pinned with drawing pins, showcasing her remarkable artistic evolution.

A recipient of the 2013 Prince of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities, Leibovitz’s exhibition underscores her profound interest in writers, visual artists, and landscapes. She described her meticulous approach to subjects, recalling, "When I did a reportage on different poets for Life magazine, I read all their work; I wondered whether it could be represented in photography." This dedication is also evident in her books "Wonderland" and "The Wizard of Oz," where she translated these stories into images while reading them to her daughters, even enlisting designers like Karl Lagerfeld and Tom Ford in the process.

Leibovitz initially harbored doubts about staging this exhibition, but her visit to the Irving Penn exhibition, accompanied by Marta Ortega and Carlos Torretta, dispelled her reservations. "Tears came to my eyes, and here we are," she shared, emphasizing her belief in making art accessible in all locations, "big or small cities." At 76, she reflected with a smile on the seldom-discussed joys of aging: "We don't talk about how wonderful it is to get older. You relax more, you know what you're doing, although you still don't know if it's right or wrong."