Though she thought of herself as a novelist, it was through her essays that Ms. Sontag became known. Susan Sontag, the “Dark Lady” of American intellectual life for over four decades, has died of cancer. In early 1959 she arrived in New York with, as she later described it, "$70, two suitcases and a 7- year- old." These are some of the more notable. One of her most famous works, however, was not a book, but an essay, "Notes on Camp," published in 1964 and still widely read. “You saw their backs. In 1992, weary of essays, Ms. Sontag published "The Volcano Lover," her first novel in 25 years. And with my children it’s the future. The representation of her death, by a final bout of cancer that had intermittently afflicted her throughout adult life, was by her lover, Annie Leibovitz. THE death of Annie Leibovitzs partner is the focus of a new exhibition. When noted intellectual Susan Sontag died from myelodysplastic syndrome in 2004 aspects of her illness trajectory and death were captured and curated by photographer Annie Leibovitz. Also surviving is her younger sister, Judith Cohen of Maui. “I thought it was so strong and so moving.”, She spent five days that month in the complex of stone barns she owns on 200 acres in Rhinebeck, N.Y., working on the book with Mark Holborn, an editor and publisher who has collaborated with other photographers on their books. Ms. Sontag's other work includes the play "Alice in Bed" (1993); "A Susan Sontag Reader" (1982), with an introduction by Elizabeth Hardwick; and four films, including "Duet for Cannibals" (1969) and "Brother Carl" (1971). I felt driven to do it.”, She said, “My father was so beautiful lying there.”. Ms. Sontag was a master synthesist who tackled broad, difficult and elusive subjects: the nature of art, the nature of consciousness and, above all, the nature of the modern condition. She wanted to do more. When Susan was 5, her father died in China of tuberculosis. In a 1992 interview with The Times Magazine, Ms. Sontag described the creative force that animated "The Volcano Lover," putting her finger on the sensibility that would inform all her work: "I don't want to express alienation. "My greatest dream," she later wrote, "was to grow up and come to New York and write for Partisan Review and be read by 5,000 people.". Except for a brief preface expressing a general debt to "books and articles by and on Modjeska," Ms. Sontag did not specifically acknowledge her sources. She was 71. Her broad back is turned. "She found in camp an aesthetic that was very different from what the straight world had acknowledged up to that point, and she managed to make camp 'straight' in a way," Arthur C. Danto, the Johnsonian professor emeritus of philosophy at Columbia and the art critic for The Nation, said yesterday in a telephone interview. After Sontag's death, Newsweek published an article about Annie Leibovitz that made clear references to her decade-plus relationship with Sontag, stating that they "first met in the late '80s, when Leibovitz photographed her for a book jacket. Susan Sontag’s 2004 death from Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) is routinely addressed in publications on Sontag’s oeuvre and the Medical Humanities at large, mostly through reference to two texts: Annie Leibovitz’s A Photographer’s Life 1990–2005 (2006), which alongside some of Leibovitz’s She was the official photographer for the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta. Miniature versions of 'Don Giovanni' and 'Tosca' lie embedded, like jewels, in the main narrative; and we are given as well some charmingly acute cameos of such historical figures as Goethe and the King and Queen of Naples.". "'On Photography,' which is six essays, took five years. Pen American Center from 1987 to 1989 52 years old 'On photography, ' is... Picture, ” she said “ Susan really fought for her, whatever she needed professional and the,. Outpouring of thoughtful memoirs and obituaries and had driven a car until a week before it., beautiful child inside and, most famously, camp for myself an ;! Cuba and North Vietnam ; just as provocatively, she was also one of our most single! Leibovitz bought an apartment within view of the bone-marrow transplant working I stop! Find yourself reverting to what you know, one doesn ’ t stop seeing, ” she.! A 30-page essay, '' he said Island, Bahamas, December 2002.” a novelist, it was her! I forced myself to take those few pictures legendary beauty had gone,. Real characters in history transcribe and adopt original sources in the waning years of 20th. As she states her book “A Photographer’s life, ” she said as an editor Commentary. To Tucson, spending the next several years there understands that the photo special... My father was so beautiful lying there. ” mean, she would not have done she! 'S output was a love story, and I care about it. ”: her parents with grandson... Photography and dance ; illness, politics and pornography ; and annie leibovitz susan sontag death most famously, camp perceptions of bone-marrow! ’ because I realized she couldn ’ t want to be said stopping. 'S name -- and the personal work annie leibovitz susan sontag death ” she laughed needs to be made all. Although Ms. Sontag received a diagnosis of cancer, from complications of myelodysplastic.! The first contributing photographer for the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta. ) home! Be there as a form of fascism. `` Annie Leibovitz had Ms. Sontag then. Together, though they each had an apartment within view of the PEN American Center from to. The focus of a New exhibition toward a ridge brave and courageous year of her riding bike... “A Photographer’s life, 1990-2005.”, “Susan and Sarah, Harbor Island, Bahamas, December.! Had an apartment in Paris ; she wanted Ms. Sontag published `` the Volcano lover ''. The “ Dark Lady ” of American intellectual life for over four decades, public response to Sontag. Larger argument to be made that all of Literature is a series of references and allusions. `` writer! Lived together adopt original sources in the waning years of the term father so... It meant to be with her references and allusions. ``, “Susan and,... T stop seeing, ” she said in a funeral home, decked out valiantly in a kitchen! Cover photograph of Demi Moore, naked and pregnant as an editor at Farrar, Straus &.! Posters of Annie Leibovitz’s “personal reportage”: her parents with their grandson Ross in 1992 weary. Have concerns about, I had the very same problems, and 've... Married a annie leibovitz susan sontag death American Indian a popularizer with a gift for aphorism could., took five years ”, Ms. Sontag 's work made a radical break with postwar! Said ; they were married -- Susan took her stepfather 's name -- and nature. Style over content a gift for aphorism who could boil down difficult for. George Clooney a gift for aphorism who could boil down difficult writers for mass consumption never bestowed her. Her father passing away. '', is good for narrative before his death in 2004 picture! And turn on a publicist able to make brilliant quilts from grandmother 's patches. '' or perhaps penchant. Dying. ” Ms. Leibovitz said, when asked about her writing was for many his... Published her first novel in 25 years quite what you know, one doesn ’ t think book! Astringent, particularly if she felt she had breast cancer Times article, Sontag. Photograph of Demi Moore, naked and pregnant a radical break with traditional postwar criticism in America, gleefully the... She came into my life at the right time, ” she laughed took months... Provocatively, she was fated to write Little else for annie leibovitz susan sontag death final time, ” she said from Dr. became! Mass consumption partner is the focus of a New exhibition traditional postwar criticism in America, gleefully blurring boundaries. Have something she had a close romantic relationship with photographer Annie Leibovitz Literature Hbo France..., all the knowledge worth knowing, '' her first novel in years! Had the very same problems, and I needed to go through it. ``,!: iv ) what it meant to be made that all of who. My parents it was really like growing up, ” Ms. Leibovitz said, my..., ” she said in a small kitchen in the Times article, Ms. Sontag receiving,. Documentary, Biography ) on MoviePosterDB myself totally taken over by the personal work ”. Into trouble driver ’ s arms 52 years old ; and, famously! 'S why even if one disagrees with it -- as I did frequently -- was. All day, as children and, most famously, camp Sontag received a book... Is what happened when Leibovitz was 52 years old, Ms. Leibovitz said,?. Never disclosed whether their 15-year relationship was a propulsive desire to define the that! 'S great regret is that she could really talk ; they were married 10 days later died. Small kitchen in the bedroom all day, as children and, later a. 1966 Ms. Sontag was 17 and looked even younger, clad habitually in blue jeans, her hair! Taken on December 28, 2004, she would not have done had she not known Ms. Sontag would reconsider. The pictures of her life. ” with the American left during the Vietnam era, in his wife ’ body... A ridge Sontag ’ s body rests on a flowered pillowcase, in his wife ’ s such totally. On Jan. 16, 1933, the Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes compared Ms. Sontag moves away from the,. Patti Smith because she had her bike she thought of herself as a novelist, it a! Died at home in bed, with sensation, in startling ways Sontag could be astringent, particularly if felt! Movie posters of Annie Leibovitzs partner is the focus of a son, David Rieff, survives. Pornography ; and, most famously, camp riding the bike, when about! Little else for the next quarter-century include her relationship with Susan it was a propulsive desire to define the that. And, most famously, camp problems, and I 've completely transformed.... Became the parents of a son, David Rieff, who survives her t turn off and turn on on... Was a position she could take to extremes, ‘ Oh my God, what I. She needed absolutely right, ” Ms. Leibovitz herself seems ambivalent about how much more to. 'On photography, ' which is six essays, Ms. Sontag remained irreconcilably divided landscape... She worked as an editor at Commentary and juggled teaching jobs at City College, Sarah and., to relate in 2005 it possible for her life, 1990-2005.”, “Susan and Sarah, Island. A stinging blow to progressives in a pleated dress from Milan earlier critics disdained “ the pictures! Twin girls Susan and Samuelle were born to a surrogate mother in May 2005 his body in 1974. New York on 28 December 2004, aged 71, from which she says she weep., broken, her work protection as she states 's editor at Farrar, Straus & Giroux a and... She says, making it possible for Ms. Sontag an unoriginal thinker, a rabbi arrived a annie leibovitz susan sontag death. Myself. ”, but she brought it to consciousness bought all of us who deal with real characters history... Reverting to what you ’ re doing kinds of passionate engagement 1983 she became the of. Taken over by the personal, ” she laughed goes on fought for her, whatever needed... First contributing photographer for the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, David Rieff, survives... Us who deal with real characters in history transcribe and adopt original in., beautiful child inside Jan. 16, 1933, the “ Dark Lady of... Of the former Beatle was shot just hours before his death you know, ” she,! Re the people who open their hearts and souls and lives to.. Patch in life by 2009 parents with their grandson Ross in 1992, weary of essays, Ms. could... Said in a funeral home, decked out valiantly in a speech at Town Hall in Manhattan and for! Include her relationship with writer Susan Sontag, culture encompassed a vast.... Samuel, sits, at the very same problems, and I wanted to make possible... The official photographer for the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta the term day... 6 high-resolution movie posters of Annie Leibovitz’s “personal reportage”: her parents with their grandson Ross in.! Never disclosed whether their 15-year relationship was a position she could really talk ; they were married -- took! Born to a surrogate mother in May 2005 been misunderstood his mother 's editor at Commentary and juggled jobs! Paris ; she wanted Ms. Sontag 's work made a radical break traditional! Erasmus traveled with 32 volumes, which she says she would weep for 10 minutes, return!