Herb Ritts Exhibit is Coming to West Hollywood During Unveiling of STORIES: The AIDS Monument

November 8, 2025 

WeHo Times 

by Mike Pingel

Herb Ritts Exhibit is Coming to West Hollywood During Unveiling of STORIES: The AIDS Monument

The legacy of legendary photographer Herb Ritts will take center stage in West Hollywood this month with the opening of Herb Ritts: Allies & Icons, an exhibition honoring the artists, activists, and cultural figures who shaped the global fight against AIDS.

The exhibit, presented by the Herb Ritts Foundation in partnership with Fahey/Klein Gallery and ONE Gallery, opens Thursday, Nov. 13, at ONE Gallery, 626 N. Robertson Blvd., and runs through Dec. 21. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is free.

Coinciding with the long-awaited unveiling of STORIES: The AIDS Monument in West Hollywood Park, the exhibition features a powerful selection of Ritts’ black-and-white portraits of cultural icons who used their platforms to confront the AIDS epidemic — including Elizabeth Taylor, Elton John, Magic Johnson, Madonna, Barbra Streisand, Sharon Stone, Tina Turner, and Keith Haring.

“Herb photographed the icons of his time — the notorious, the edgy, the culturally significant,” said David Fahey, founder of Fahey/Klein Gallery and co-curator of the exhibition. “In doing so, he gave us a visual record of an era marked by both beauty and profound loss. He sought not just to portray but to reveal, coaxing from his subjects a vulnerability that could disarm and a power that could inspire.”

The exhibition runs parallel to the dedication of STORIES: The AIDS Monument, set for Sunday, Nov. 16, at 4 p.m. in West Hollywood Park, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd. The monument — designed by artist Daniel Tobin and commissioned by the Foundation for the AIDS Monument (FAM) in collaboration with the City of West Hollywood — honors those lost to AIDS, the survivors, caregivers, and advocates who shaped decades of activism and compassion.

Ritts, who lived with AIDS until his death in 2002, was deeply involved in HIV/AIDS philanthropy throughout his career, supporting organizations such as amfAR, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, Project Angel Food, APLA, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. He also raised funds for AIDS research and awareness through his acclaimed photo books Duo and Notorious.

Herb Ritts: Allies & Icons continues Ritts’ legacy of advocacy through art — celebrating not only his mastery of photography but also the resilience and humanity of the people who defined a movement.

The exhibition is free and open to the public, with visiting hours Thursday through Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m.

For more information about STORIES: The AIDS Monument, visit aidsmonument.org.