Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Brut by Paul Kranzler



My review of Paul Kranzler's Brut (Fotohof, 2010) is now online at Photoeye.

'Home' in all its iterations is a dominant theme within photography. Approached from infinite different angles, it can provide a wellspring of ideas and inspiration for a photographer, or it can be a comforting shelter to confirm well-worn platitudes. Paul Kranzler is a young photographer who has already proven himself unafraid to stare at the darker side of life as seen in his first two books Land of Milk and Honey and Tom. While his first two books are more focused portraits (a struggling alcoholic couple and the life of an adolescent named Tom), Brut is a loving meditation on Kranzler's family - both biological and adopted.

Read the rest here.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

House of Love by Dayanita Singh


I've started writing reviews for the Photoeye blog. You can read my first review of Dayanita Singh's House of Love (Radius Books, 2011) here. I have a few more in the pipeline, which I will post once they go live.

After college, I almost worked for Photoeye when a job at the now defunct photobook publisher, Arena Editions, fell through. I decided to move to NYC instead, but I've always loved Photoeye and am excited to contributing in some small way.

Here is a small excerpt from the intro:

South of Delhi, in the plains of Uttar Pradesh, the Taj Mahal stands as a testament to love and devotion. Built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who tragically died in child birth, the iconic mausoleum took over twenty years to construct. By the end of its construction, Shah Jahan himself was deposed and eventually buried next to his wife -- forever resting with his beloved. In addition to hosting millions of visitors a year, the Taj Mahal has come to represent not only the love of a king for his queen, but the rich and diverse culture of India itself. As a mirror, the Taj Mahal reflects not only stories of love, but also the complex stories of Indian life -- both past and present.

Read the rest here.