The Contemporary Photobook Magazine
Review by Steve Harp • It’s more than a little unsettling to characterize a book which can be described - in the words of its creator - as a “succession of dark days” as lovely. But that’s the first word that comes to mind in looking through Fabio Ponzio’s East of Nowhere. There is a... Continue Reading →
Review by Wayne Swanson • Anyone who has put in time on the portfolio review circuit has probably encountered Jonathan Blaustein. He’s that rather intense reviewer with the moustache and goatee who is never at a loss for words, and always quick with a thumbs up or down on your work. He’s also the guy you... Continue Reading →
Review by Gerhard Clausing • We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals. – Immanuel Kant • Everyone photographs animals, but very few do it well. While we can capture cute expressions of our pets, to understand and depict our fellow creatures from a more comprehensive perspective and with all... Continue Reading →
Review by Gerhard Clausing • China, the country that mass-produces for the rest of the world, has also undergone many internal changes in the 21st century, and this project illuminates one such aspect: the upscale desires of China’s rising middle class. For several years Joyce Rohrmoser was hired as a foreign ‘presence’ for the marketing... Continue Reading →
Review by Gerhard Clausing • In these crazy times it is especially disheartening to view violent scenes of man-made confrontations between “right and wrong” – a clash of cultures, defined in this photobook as differing and seemingly opposing world views, old versus new perspectives. At issue is the question of where Ukraine’s allegiance should be... Continue Reading →
Review by Gerhard Clausing • In Greek mythology, the Minotaur was a human-like creature with the head and tail of a bull, and his favorite meals consisted of sacrificial Athenian youths. His home was said to be an elaborate labyrinth on the island of Crete. Naturally as well as unnaturally, there was more to that... Continue Reading →
Review by Gerhard Clausing • Charles Fréger’s latest photobook presents an intriguing photographic and ethnographic study of “the masks, costumes, and characters created by the descendants of Africans and indigenous peoples in the Americas to honor their ancestors, commemorate their history and celebrate their heritage.” (Back cover) Our history certainly follows us around, and old... Continue Reading →
Review by Gerhard Clausing • How to portray a city through its residents? The city of Berlin is certainly one of the most diverse places in the world. Combining the former West and East sections, it is now an even more expanded center of culture and cultures. The citizens’ well-known directness and swagger, sometimes referred... Continue Reading →
Review by Wayne Swanson • “Were it not for.” What a perfect phrase for our Trumpian times. With these four words you can claim responsibility and assess blame. Deflect accountability, cast aspersions, or simply cover your ass. To “control the narrative” is the goal. In Michael Ashkin’s hands, the four words turn deadpan images into ominous... Continue Reading →
Review by Gerhard Clausing • How do you effectively illustrate the follies of WAR? No matter how many times some of us advocate brain over brawn, war seems to be an ever-present specter, and this past week was certainly a glaring example. Perhaps such aggressive behavior is a remnant of the ancient male warrior who... Continue Reading →
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