Branded youth and other stories

VOYA - Kitty Krahnke

Weber, who became nationally known for his 1980s Calvin Klein underwear ads, has become further known for transcending the normal boundaries of photographic art with his images of America and its people and for his homoerotic photography. This oversized art book was released in conjunction with Weber's 1997 art show at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The book itself is divided into ten groupings of black-and-white, mostly portrait, photographs including teen boys; teen movie, TV, and music stars; television images of court TV; Vietnam; Mississippi; South Africa; western farms and wrestling action; Boy Scouts; and nude and provocatively posed males. The final section includes images of Weber himself. The photos are interspersed with prose and poetry related to these various subjects that help with the flow of the book and give many of the photos a tangible context in which to view them. One very touching piece by Charles Bukowski relates the story of a young girl who repeatedly gives herself away because she does not believe in her self-worth and ultimately commits suicide. This piece follows a full-page nude shot of Drew Barrymore laying on hay with Jamie Walters and a puppy. The text is presented in various styles and fonts including handwritten pieces by Weber himself. A list of plates is included toward the end of the book to assist with identification but the book has no page numbers, even though page numbers are indicated. Although Branded Youth has great teen appeal in its choice of subjects in text and illustration, which express a youthful awareness of body and freedom of spirit, its high price and the selection and presentation of the photos suggest that it would be best located in the art collection of a public library. Photos. VOYA Codes: 4Q 4P S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Broad general YA appeal, Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12). Brown,