Book Review: Boy Stories

Boy Stories. Photographs by Johan Willner.
Published by Hatje Cantz, 2012.
 

Boy Stories

Reviewed by John Mathews

Boy Stories
Photographs by Johan Willner.
Hatje Cantz, 2012. Hardbound. 80 pp., 35 color illustrations, 11-3/4x9-3/4".

Boy Stories combines documentary and staged photography in order to explore a series of Johan Willner's deep-rooted childhood memories. In his introduction Willner poetically reminisces about growing up in Sweden and talks about how his father’s mental breakdown affected him as a youth. Willner creates a child like point of view by showing us the minute details of his everyday life. He then intersperses this imagery with more dramatic and uncanny incidents from his childhood.

A striking image that opens the book shows a suited businessman in a dark forest, trying to retrieve some lost papers from a pool of water. Like the story of narcissus the man seems to be drawn in and enraptured by his own reflection. The symbolic meaning of the image is emphasised by its protracted title, which reads Midway life's journey I was made aware That I had strayed into a dark forest, And the right path appeared not anywhere. Like many images within the book it possesses an incongruous mix of dreaminess and hyperrealism.

Boy Stories, by Johan Willner. Published by Hatje Cantz, 2012.

Other photographs such as The Battle of Innocence look at the cold and harsh reality of human nature. The scene depicts a group of young boys who have just shot a swan with their bows and arrows. What may have started out as a childhood game has morphed into a callous act of brutality. The boy’s stand self assuredly over their prey with strange look of pride and fear. Like some Greek fable they have each lost their innocence by realising their ability to kill.

Boy Stories, by Johan Willner. Published by Hatje Cantz, 2012.

Boy Stories, by Johan Willner. Published by Hatje Cantz, 2012.

In another image entitled Standstill a woman stares from a train window, as if she is caught in a hypnotic trance. This is followed by another image called Forward which features a boy walking from a burning building. Willner strongly identifies with this figure and uses him to express his childhood hopes, fears and anxieties. The photographs, when paired together, are suggestive of mental inertia and resurrection. As he states in his introduction "I saw a boy leave his home. The house is burning down behind him, and everything is lost in flames. It gives him strength; he bears no guilt. In the fire he finds a way to move forward to another life in another context. Leaving is sometimes a far greater feat than staying." Like a type of dreamscape, one is never quite sure if Willner is creating a chronological narrative to the book or if he is jumping about between different points in time. His delicate use of light, awareness of urban space and underlying sense of melancholy is similar to Edward Hopper's cityscape paintings.

Boy Stories, by Johan Willner. Published by Hatje Cantz, 2012.

Willner uses photography to investigate suppressed memories much in the same way as a psychoanalyst might use dreams to explore mental states. The images represent a way for Willner to cathartically reengage with his childhood self and for him to come to terms with traumatic events, such as his father's illness. Boy Stories examines the elusive nature of childhood memory and how it can often be a strange mix of dream, reality, nostalgia and half remembered truths.—JOHN MATHEWS

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JOHN MATHEWS is an artist, archivist and curator based between Nova Scotia, Canada and Northern Ireland.

Book Review: Andrey Tarkovsky - Films, Stills, Polaroids & Writings

Andrey Tarkovsky: Films, Still, Polaroids & Writings.
 Work by Andrey Tarkovsky.
Schirmer/Mosel, 2013.
 

Andrey Tarkovsky: Films, Stills, Polaroids & Writings

Reviewed by Adam Bell

Andrey Tarkovsky: Films, Stills, Polaroids & Writings
Work by Andrey Tarkovsky.
Schirmer/Mosel, 2013. Hardbound. 320 pp., 350 color and black & white illustrations, 9-1/2x12".

How does one contain a film within a book? Distill the 24 frames per second into the pages of a book? In many respects, any such attempt is half-hearted and can only point and freeze moments from something fluid. Andrey Tarkovsky is a towering figure in film history influencing such contemporary directors as Béla Tar, Hou Hsaio-Hsien and Theo Angelopoulos, as well as countless others. Although the Russian filmmaker only made a handful of films in his lifetime (five in his native Russia and two in exile in Italy), his cerebral, purposefully enigmatic and arrestingly beautiful films continue to captivate audiences. Perhaps best know in the United States for the films Stalker and Solaris, Tarkovsky also wrote extensively about cinema and enjoyed taking pastoral and meditative Polaroid pictures of his life in Russia and later in Italy. Edited and compiled by Tarkovsky's son, Andrey Tarkovsky Jr. and Hans-Joachim Schlegel, this new retrospective monograph offers a survey of his films, writings and photographs.

Andrey Tarkovsky, by Andrey Tarkovsky. Published by Schirmer/Mosel, 2013.

As a fan of Tarkovsky's work, I'm sad to say I'm a bit disappointed by the book. In its overly reverential approach, the book feels like a missed opportunity to reassess Tarkovsky's work and his continued relevance. Understandably, Tarkovsky's son is seeking to secure his father's place in cinematic history and provide a lasting record of his films. The problem is such a record already exists – in the films themselves.

The bulk of the large book is devoted to Tarkovsky's seven films. Each is given its own section with roughly twenty-five stills per movie and a short intro that includes production notes and a brief description of the plot. Tarkovsky's films' are notoriously slow and evocative. Unfortunately, the plot summaries read like stilted bullet-points and the skeletal descriptions suck the life from the subtle nuances and often moving narratives of the films. The stills for many of the early films also look like screen-grabs from the digital transfer and contain ugly digital pixilation. Pulling a still from an existing print is a costly effort, and was perhaps prohibitive for this book, but the poor quality detracts from an otherwise beautiful shot. There is also little behind-the-scenes imagery, which would have provided further context to the film and its production. It is possible that there was no still photographer or that any production photographs were simply left out to focus on the films; the most likely answer is they've vanished into a bureaucratic hole in the former Soviet Union when Tarkovsky became a persona non grata and went into exile. For a scholar of Tarkovsky, the over 200 pages of movie stills might prove useful, but any fan will return to the films.

Andrey Tarkovsky, by Andrey Tarkovsky. Published by Schirmer/Mosel, 2013.

Andrey Tarkovsky, by Andrey Tarkovsky. Published by Schirmer/Mosel, 2013.

The book also contains a wide-range of writings about and by Tarkovsky. Opening with a nice retrospective essay by Hans-Joachim Schlegel, the book also features historical reviews and writings by Sartre, Ingmar Bergman, excerpts from Tarkovsky's book Sculpting in Time: Reflections on the Cinema and several brief autobiographical pieces. The essays and historical writings give a sense not only of Tarkovsky's influential role during his life, but also his continued importance. Concluding the book are two sections: a modest photo album of Tarkovsky's family, and a selection of personal Polaroids from the early 80s shot in Russia, and later in Italy, while Tarkovsky was in exile.

Andrey Tarkovsky, by Andrey Tarkovsky. Published by Schirmer/Mosel, 2013.

Andrey Tarkovsky, by Andrey Tarkovsky. Published by Schirmer/Mosel, 2013.

It seems unfair to be negative about an artist I admire, but Tarkovsky deserves more. In the end, the numerous stills 'doth protest too much,' feeling more like a monument than an energized or fresh look at Tarkovsky's work. However, now that such a reverential book exists, perhaps it leaves room for a more inventive and engaging approach that can bring Tarkovsky alive for a new generation. For now, rent Stalker or Ivan's Childhood, read Geoff Dyer's Zona, and if you're hooked, delve more deeply into the few films he left us to ponder.—ADAM BELL

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ADAM BELL is a photographer and writer based in Brooklyn, NY. He received his MFA from the School of Visual Arts, and his work has been exhibited and published internationally. He is the co-editor and co-author, with Charles H. Traub and Steve Heller, of The Education of a Photographer (Allworth Press, 2006). His writing has appeared in Foam Magazine, Afterimage, Lay Flat and Ahorn Magazine. He is currently on staff and faculty at the School of Visual Arts' MFA Photography, Video and Related Media Department. His website and blog are adambbell.com and adambellphoto.blogspot.com.

Book Review: Yonkeros

Yonkeros. Photographs by Jaime Permuth.
Published by La Fabrica, 2013.
 

Yonkeros

Reviewed by Tom Leininger

Yonkeros
Photographs by Jaime Permuth.
La Fabrica, 2013. Hardbound. 144 pp., 90 illustrations, 8x9-3/4".

There are books of photographs and then there are books made by Photographers with a capital P. Yonkeros by Jaime Permuth is one of the latter. The pictures show a place that is simple and direct, with a complicated present. Permuth takes the reader to Willets Point, roughly eight blocks small and just behind the new Citi Field, inside the junkyards, auto repair and tire shops that make up one of the last working man’s havens in New York.

What is not shown are the forces working against Willets Point to turn it into another corporate sports haven. The title is an English derivation of the word 'junk' combined with the conjugated Spanish form of 'works with' to create 'those who work with junk.' Yonkeros are the men shown at work putting life back into vehicles for those who need their wheels just to scrape by.

Yonkeros, by Jaime Permuth. Published by La Fabrica, 2013

Yonkeros, by Jaime Permuth. Published by La Fabrica, 2013

The potential change from the land of the working to one of recreation is what brought Permuth and his camera here. He spent a year photographing this place and those who live and work here. Permuth deftly uses the formal elements of light and shadow to highlight the beauty in this loud, dirty land. He creates poetic scenes of labor out of chaos. This is the work of a photographer at the top of his game working with a subject matter that intrigues him.

Yonkeros, by Jaime Permuth. Published by La Fabrica, 2013

Yonkeros, by Jaime Permuth. Published by La Fabrica, 2013.

Photographing there for a year gave Permuth the opportunity to observe how no matter the weather, yonkeros are always needed. Car troubles happen regardless of the elements. Work needs to be done no matter how much snow fills up Willets Point. Permuth puts a hard working face on this place. Men in many layers labor when the snow is blowing, creating a dream like landscape without dirt and grime, pure snow covering all. An ice cream truck serves those working and waiting. Cars, parts and tires are stacked neatly to maximize the small spaces. An overall image shows the place as a hive of activity. This is a place of immigrants for immigrants.

Progress and time will change Willets Point and those who work there. Luckily, Jaime Permuth' efforts have resulted in a book that offers more to the viewer each time it is reread. His efforts bring dignity and pride to the hard working men of Willets Point.—TOM LEININGER

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TOM LEININGER is a photographer and educator based in North Texas. More of his work can be found on his website.

Audio from Artist Talk & Reception with John Delaney and Svjetlana Tepavcevic

Artist Reception & Talk with John Delaney and Svjetlana Tepavcevic

In addition to hosting the Review Santa Fe 100 in the gallery and bookstore this week, photo-eye also hosted an artist reception and talk with the two photographers currently on view in our gallery: John Delaney and Svjetlana Tepavcevic. Both photographers spoke about their work, how their projects came to fruition, the importance of the photographic print and described their working methods.






View John Delaney's work on the Photographer's Showcase
View Svjetlana Tepavcevic's work on the Photographer's Showcase

The exhibition continues through July 13th. For more information or to purchase a print please contact Anne Kelly at 505-988-5158 x121 or anne@photoeye.com.

Book Reviews: A Harlem Family 1967

A Harlem Family 1967. Photographs by Gordon Parks.
Published by Steidl & Partners, 2013.
 

A Harlem Family 1967
Reviewed by Karen Jenkins

A Harlem Family 1967
Photographs by Gordon Parks.
Steidl & Partners, 2013. Hardbound. 112 pp., 100 tritone illustrations, 10x11-1/2".

A Harlem Family 1967 takes its name from Gordon Parks' photo essay first published in LIFE magazine as part of a series on urban poverty and race. In its look back at the desperate struggles of the Fontenelle family at that place and time, this exhibition catalog is a certain object lesson in context. Its page by page reproduction of the original magazine spreads delineates how Parks' photographs were originally seen, how images and words were crafted in LIFE's particular style and syntax. This reproduction also situates the work in its past life by emphasizing the ephemerality of the magazine as object, with its water-stained pages and dog-eared corners. In its pairing with an alternate run of un-annotated images representing the 2012 exhibition, the curators hoped to shift and expand the Parks' series for a contemporary audience. While sequenced to echo the LIFE essay, the exhibition section also introduces previously unpublished photographs made during a month spent with the Fontenelles. The catalog’s few short essays also propose the value in looking at this work anew through the lens of The Studio Museum in Harlem, in the community where it was made, and with an understanding of Parks' ties to that place.

A Harlem Family 1967, by Gordon Parks. Published by Steidl & Partners, 2013.

A Harlem Family 1967, by Gordon Parks. Published by Steidl & Partners, 2013.

The LIFE essay is a sympathetic family portrait built on broad humanistic themes of hunger and fulfillment, tenderness and violence, and hope and resignation. Parks' high contrast images of crowded corridors and back lit windows that obscure the outside world underscore the harsh confines of the Fontenelles' daily life and point of view. Stacks of books and children reading are pointed symbols and tenuous ties to a better life. Parks crafted his accompanying text to cut through the racial and socio-economic divide between the readers and the Fontenelles, opening with the line: "For I am you, staring back from a mirror of poverty and despair, of revolt and freedom. Look at me and know that to destroy me is to destroy yourself." Parks' gifts as a portraitist link the LIFE essay to the contemporary catalog, where many of the previously unpublished images reinforce his sophistication in this mode. This section also includes sequences of adjacent frames inclusive of known and unknown images, including sixteen shots of Bessie Fontenelle and her children visiting a poverty board office.

A Harlem Family 1967, by Gordon Parks. Published by Steidl & Partners, 2013.

A Harlem Family 1967, by Gordon Parks. Published by Steidl & Partners, 2013.

In her introduction, Director and Chief Curator Thelma Golden states that this exhibition and catalog speak to her frequent confrontation with "irrefutable evidence of Gordon Parks' influence on a generation of multimedia artists whose work explores the complexities of race and poverty in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries." Yet I find the catalog wanting for its lack of critical analysis of such continuing relevance or a historical contextualization of this series within Parks' artistic practice. It addresses neither how A Harlem Family 1967 fits within the evolution of Parks' photographic representations of African-Americans in his twenty-two years at LIFE magazine nor specifically how this work resonates within contemporary practice. In its exact re-presentation of the LIFE spread, the catalog is in keeping with a trend for the meta analysis of photographic publications, al a errata editions' Books on Books series and the like. However, I still wish for some thread of critical thought to jump-start a comparative look between the historical context and twenty-first century un-framing and to argue how photography in Parks' tradition can continue to be a call to action and a bellwether of social practice.—KAREN JENKINS

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KAREN JENKINS earned a Master's degree in Art History, specializing in the History of Photography from the University of Arizona. She has held curatorial positions at the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, AZ and the Demuth Museum in Lancaster, PA. Most recently she helped to debut a new arts project, Art in the Open Philadelphia, that challenges contemporary artists to reimagine the tradition of creating works of art en plein air for the 21st century.