In his new book, Mom & Dad, Terry Richardson devotes one volume to his father, the fashion photographer Bob Richardson, and one volume to his mother, whom he does not name. The photographer, whose unprofessional behavior has been criticized by some of his subjects, has spoken about his difficult childhood in various interviews over the years.
Bob Richardson left his family for a 17-year-old Anjelica Huston when his son was 4 years old, but eventually his untreated schizophrenia destroyed his career, and he has periodically been homeless. Terry Richardson's mother — who is always, weirdly, referred to in the media as "Terry Richardson's mother" rather than by her name — was left partially paralyzed by a car accident when Terry was 9. He told the Observer in 2004:
"When she came home, she was in diapers. It was very heavy. By the time I was 11, I was getting high every day on weed-just checking out, basically...I feel like a lot of the women I've dated have been the same kind of person. I've been through a lot of relationships that were really just girls cheating on me or being quite sadistic. Because of this accident, my mother couldn't walk, and she was just very ill-tempered all the time-always screaming and yelling and throwing things at me and, like, totally unavailable as a mother."
Whatever difficulties their relationship suffered during Terry's childhood and adolescence, they're now apparently close enough that Richardson photographed his mother topless wearing a one-hitter on a chain around her neck.
Opening the Door On Mom And Dad [ArtInfo]
Mom & Dad [Colette]
Terry Richardson Took Some Photos Of His Mom, Too [Vice]