A Conversation with Michael Childers and James Gavin
Monday, July 20, 2026
12:30 PM
Stanley Kunitz Common Room
Join us for a conversation between photographer Michael Childers and his long-time friend James Gavin about Michael’s early career in the Hollywood art world and the renowned artists and architects he photographed, such as David Hockney, his friend of over 60 years, Andy Warhol, Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry, Andrea Zittel and Sam Francis, just to name a few.
This event is free and open to the public.
To join us virtually, visit our YouTube Channel and look for the “Upcoming live streams” section. The majority of our public events are available via YouTube live stream with the presenters’ permission.
About Our Speakers
A celebrated photographer, filmmaker, and visual chronicler of culture, Michael Childers has spent more than five decades documenting the worlds of film, music, dance, literature, and the visual arts. A graduate of UCLA Film School and a founding photographer for Interview, Childers has created more than 200 magazine covers, 150 album covers, and numerous iconic film posters, working with leading publications, major studios, and some of the most influential cultural figures of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
His photographs are held in major museum and institutional collections across the United States and Europe, including the National Portrait Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Andy Warhol Museum. The subject of numerous retrospectives and the recipient of awards in both photography and film, Childers continues to share his extraordinary archive and firsthand stories of the artists, writers, musicians, and filmmakers who helped define modern culture. Based in Palm Springs, he remains an active voice in preserving and interpreting the creative history of his generation.
James Gavin is an acclaimed biographer, journalist, and public speaker whose work has chronicled some of the most influential figures in American music and popular culture. Called “a killer biographer” by The Hollywood Reporter, he is the author of six celebrated books, including biographies of George Michael, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Chet Baker, and Anita O’Day. His books have earned widespread critical acclaim, including an NAACP Image Award nomination, a Grammy nomination, and two ASCAP Deems Taylor–Virgil Thomson Awards for excellence in music journalism.
In addition to authoring dozens of features for The New York Times, Gavin’s writing has appeared in major publications including Vanity Fair, The Boston Globe, and the Los Angeles Times. A sought-after lecturer and media commentator, he has appeared on NPR, the BBC, Today, Good Morning America, and PBS NewsHour. Through his books, essays, and public programs, Gavin continues to illuminate the lives of artists whose work helped shape modern American culture.
