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Overview
Acclaimed American documentary photographer Mary Ellen Mark (b. 1940) made her first iconic pictures when living in Turkey on a Fulbright Fellowship in the mid-1960s. Her photographs of Bombay brothels, shot in the late 1970s, were published in 1981 in Falkland Road, a book that became legendary and confirmed her status as one of the most prominent and provocative documentary photographers working today. Mark's pictures are a celebration of humanity in its most diverse and eccentric forms. Circuses, gypsy camps, children yearning for adulthood, the poor and destitute are some of her recurring themes. Mark has the unique ability to capture gestures and expressions that translate the intense emotions of her subjects. Compassionate but never literal, her pictures can be humorous, tragic, enigmatic, shocking, and often all of these simultaneously. This book presents for the first time a selection of the strongest pictures of Mark's forty-year career, drawing from emblematic series such as "Falkland Road," "Indian Circus," and "Twins," as well as a selection of previously unpublished images. The photographs are accompanied by an introduction by Weston Naef, and an interview with Mark that provides context and behind-the-scene anecdotes. Together Mark's images and words provide intimate insights into the lives of others, presenting compelling stories of human strength and suffering.Editorials
Publishers Weekly
Street kids, prostitutes, mental patients and other desperate characters haunt this retrospective of documentary photographer Mark's 40-year career. Though Mark cites Federico Fellini as a major influence (there's a lovely photo of the director on the set of Satyricon), it's hard not to see strong overtones of Diane Arbus in these pages, with all of Arbus's strengths and flaws. To their credit, Mark's images have a stark, dramatic flair and present gripping scenes that quickly seize viewers' attention. When her images are at their most potent, as in her portraits of Indian circus performers proudly demonstrating their art, the photos seem naturally observed, insightful rather than sensational. In her weaker moments, however, Mark can seem heavy-handed, and the images lean too hard on the absurdity, or luridness, of their subjects for their power. But if this beautifully produced compilation is sometimes uneven, it is a must for Mark fans, who will particularly appreciate the photographer's afterword, which reveals the stories behind many of her favorite images. (Aug.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.Book Details
Published
May 20, 2005
Publisher
London ; Phaidon Press, 2005.
Pages
288
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780714844046