Documentary-Collection

It's unprecedented, alright. I've never seen anything like it. If you appreciate photography, and/or you're fascinated with psychology, and you have the intellectual curiosity to enjoy a new kind of documentary, buy this book.

The last time a book had this strong an effect on me was when I read Dalton Trumbo's "Johnny Got His Gun" in high school. Since then I've read many hundreds, perhaps thousands of books. I read an average of 4 books a week. I haven't seen anything really fresh for a very long time.

The book contains images from three separate photo projects that Siskind undertook in the 30's for The New York Photo League. They were collected and exhibited by the Smithsonian (National Museum of American Art) in Washington, D.C. in 1991.

The beautifully written (almost poetic) foreword is by artist/photographer/film maker/writer/etc. Gordon Parks and is worth the cost of the book alone. There is also a well-written introduction to the photographer and his work by Marcia Battle and, most impressive is an oral history of eight of the people Siskind was immortalizing, done for the Federal Writers Project, worthy of Studs Terkel.

But it's the photographs that will stay with you: a nattily dressed old man, obviously a performer, waiting backstage for his cue to go on; a young girl, sitting on a milk can instead of a chair, eating a meal with her young mom in their kitchen under the freshly washed laundry which has been hung to dry; Jones Barber Shop (Haircut: 25 cents)comfortably sharing a brownstone on West 132nd Street with the Young Students Interdenominational Minister's Alliance right next door to May's And Johnson's Beauty School; a nude, black dancer performing for white patrons only; the proud owner of Our Own Community Grocery and Delicatessen (Milk 6 cents, Bacon 10 cents) posing in the sun in front of his shop. Every image takes us back to a specific time with very specific people. And in every image Siskind's art is very evident.

This book should not only be put back into print, it should be required in our schools. This is American history beautifully and movingly rendered. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Jasmin states, "I still dream in the 1950's", well, lucky for us. You get a feeling from these photographs that you don't get from the current photographers images, and that's a feeling of innocence. A time when sex was more innocent and much more sensual. A long time friend of Bruce Weber, you can see the influence in a few of these photos. Paul Jasmin have appeared in many leading fashion magazines such as Arena, Vogue, W, and L'uomo Vogue. There are three informative and touching essays by Sofia Coppola, Grazia D'Annunzio, and critic Nicolai Ouroussoff. They help to highlight & explain Jasmin's life and career. Arena Editions has again published another striking book on quality paper, that is handsomely designed.

This is a rare opportunity to enjoy a photographer who exposes us to a time that is now lost, a time of innocence and youthful carefree ways. I really enjoyed this collection of his images. Highly Recommended!