Malgosia Bela and Gisele Bundchen glare theatrically while 60s supermodel Veruschka affects a contorted pose in these monochrome portraits by Richard Avedon. Opening today, Avedon: Women is the first solo exhibition of the late photographer’s work in Los Angeles in 37 years, showcasing the visceral and transformative imagery of women underscored by minimalist backdrops that became one of his calling cards. New York-born Avedon began his interest in photography by observing women in his own family, and looked to capture the nuanced emotions behind the act of dressing up, before being snapped up by Harper’s Bazaar in 1944. Conceived almost a decade after his death, Gagosian’s Beverly Hills show spans six decades and includes over 100 photographs drawn from The Richard Avedon Foundation's extensive archive, including his works as the first staff photographer of The New Yorker, who wrote of his authoritative motif, “As long as people remain curious about life in the 20th century, they will turn to Avedon’s photographs to see how it looked, and what it meant.”

Avedon: Women at Gagosian Beverly Hills runs from November 2 through December 21.