'Ward of the State' Exhibit Casts Sharp Focus on Tony Ward

Tony Ward, who has been dubbed "male icon of the century" by Paris Vogue, is easily the most photographed male model in the world. For the past three decades, the 47-year-old classically handsome Californian has brought a rugged, All-American appeal to campaigns for Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld, Hugo Boss and virtually every design house with an ampersand in its name, including DG and HM.

Ward, of course, also models for his own apparel line, Six in the Face, and was recently seen sporting enviable menswear fashions by Odyn Vovk in California Apparel News' story on the L.A.-based designers.

Marking a career milestone, a new retrospective photography exhibit showcasing Ward and his rich body of fashion modeling work is on display at West Hollywood's Rivera and Rivera gallery. Curated by Robert Standish and running through June 20, the Ward of the State showcase ranges from the awesome Eighties to the present and also shines a strobe on the legendary photographers that have helped make Ward one of fashion’s most recognizable faces.

And the Santa Cruz-born model hasn’t been photographed by just some of the world’s greatest fashion photographers, he’s worked with all of them, from Herb Ritts and Bruce Weber to Steven Klein and Patrick Hoelck (who shot the main image above), and they are all represented in this exciting group exhibit. Ward, who is also an actor and photographer, showcases his photography skills with a few provocative self portraits (above right).

Ward’s star power was amped with a few extra volts of wattage after teaming up with Madonna in the late ’80s. The Queen of Pop summoned him to co-star in a number of her best videos, including the Ritts-directed “Cherish” -- he's one of the famous "mermen" -- and the sexually adventurous, envelope-pushing clip for her 1995 hit “Justify My Love,” which was helmed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino and proved to be too hot for MTV, which banned it. Ward, who was also dating the pop star at the time, also appeared in Madonna’s notorious 1992 book Sex, which was shot by Steven Meisel, who is also represented in Ward of the State.

Check out the exhibit at Rivera and Rivera, located at 454 N. Robertson. Gallery hours are Tues. through Sat., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.