Howard Schatz & Beverly Ornstein – PAIRS

Review by Gerhard Clausing •

When you first get this latest photobook by Schatz and Ornstein, you are immediately delighted just to hold it in your hands: it is compact in size and substantial in content. Once you open it, you can no longer put it down – you continue to explore the many pages full of innovative juxtapositions and visual surprises. It is not an exaggeration to say that this project of pairings is a virtual treasure trove of surprising ideas and unexpected turns. Howard Schatz is a master of the unexpected; his visual angles on the life that surrounds us are matched by his mastery of photographic methodologies and his great sense of style.

Few are sufficiently familiar with the history of photography to remember specific earlier practitioners who delighted in skewed views, the use of symmetry, and other special visual magic, going back to the time of the pictorialists. For instance, William Mortensen made use of distortion and exaggeration to create some grotesque images. To name another example from the early 20th century, Weegee (Arthur Fellig) did not just take pictures of sensational accidents in New York City, but also did artwork in which he made use of symmetry for special effects. Kertész was also fond of body distortions in black and white, to name a third example. Howard Schatz adapts all these techniques to our contemporary aesthetics and fashion, adding lots of color and movement in his fascinating images as well.

Pairs is very strong in the variety of images presented. Not only do we have studies of human bodies that are interestingly combined in double pages, as you can see below, but we also find them integrated with sports activities, entertainment, and various other pursuits. Thus, for instance, we have underwater shots with a lyrical slant, we have dance performance images which not only highlight interesting combinations of pairs of humans but also feature movement and color impressions. We see objects from the environment, such as plants and fruits, interestingly combined. The water surface, seen from below, is utilized as an excellent mirror that reflects what transpires in the water below. Some of it takes us into abstract realms. Check out the few sample double-page spreads shown here as to what you can expect. As you can see, each image is accompanied by precise annotations.

Pairs, a book containing 406 pages with 365 images of visual enticement and delight, is something special indeed. If too much predictability elsewhere is getting to you, my prescription calls for plenty of Schatz and Ornstein to get you out of your doldrums!

____________

Gerhard Clausing, PhotoBook Journal Editor, is an author and artist from Southern California.

____________

Howard Schatz & Beverly – PAIRS

Photographer: Howard Schatz (lives in Connecticut and New York)

Executive Producer: Beverly Ornstein

Texts: Howard Schatz and Beverly Ornstein

Language: English

Softbound with illustrated cover; 406 pages, paginated, with 365 images; 6 x 8.25 inches (15.3 x 21 cm); printed in the USA; ISBN 978-0-9710210-6-8

Photobook design: Spacher Studio

____________

Articles and photographs published in the PhotoBook Journal may not be reproduced without the permission of the PhotoBook Journal staff and the photographer(s). All images, texts, and designs are under copyright by the authors and publishers.