'ICONS' photo exhibit captures essence of prominent American figures at Breman Museum

This metaphorical portrait represents one of the most influential American composers of musical theater, Stephen Sondheim. (Courtesy of Robert Weingarten)

Photographer Robert Weingarten has reimagined what a portrait could look like without the subject. His exhibition “ICONS: Selections from ‘The Portrait Unbound’” showcases the essence of influential people without them ever being seen in the photograph. 

His works honor prominent American figures from Stephen Sondheim to Hank Aaron, and they’re on view at the Breman Museum through October. In this interview, “City Lights” producer Summer Evans spoke with Robert Weingarten about the collection.

“If you want to really capture what a person’s all about, it’s not what they look like at that moment, it’s their whole body of being,” says Weingarten.