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Photo Poche #12
Duane Michals
Born in 1932 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, Duane Michals has become best known for his compelling narrative sequences, including "The Voyage of the Spirit After Death," "Paradise Regained," and "The Fallen Angel." His work reflects a haunting obsession with life and death, fantasy and reality - thematic opposites expressed through his use of double exposures, superimposed images, props, mirrors, and the ambiguous notations that often appear on the margins of the photographs.
140 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 21, 2019
This little book is not a “best of” Duane Michals, but rather an over view of his career. The first photos in this book were taken in 1958 and the last ones in the 1980s. The bulk of the book is taken up by photo series, but there are also stand alone photos. This is understandable as Michals is best known for his series.
There are thirteen series in this book, and they range from eroticism to contemplations on life and death, and religion. The pleasures of the glove, Take one and see Mt. Fujiyama, and The young girl's dream all deal with eroticism, while Christ in New York, The fallen angel, The voyage of the spirit after death, Paradise regained deal with religious aspects. I find Christ in New York quite a interesting piece. In it Michals shows Christ in modern New York. On the other end I find The pleasures of the glove an interesting series dealing with sexual fantasies. Things are Queer is probably the series that I find most interesting in the book. In nine photos Michals seems to be contemplating the borders between reality, and fiction.
The oldest photos are from a trip which Michals took in Russia in 1958. These are the least interesting ones in the book. They are rather typical amateur photos. Subjects usually dead center and very static. In a way some of the series are built up like this, with the subjects dead center, but in the series one has the movement between photos to make them interesting. Looking at the stand alone photos I though the portraits of Marcel Duchamp and Pasolini the best shots in the book.
All in all, an interesting, though slightly short, over view of Duane Michals career during these years. By the way, that is Andy Warhol on the cover.
There are thirteen series in this book, and they range from eroticism to contemplations on life and death, and religion. The pleasures of the glove, Take one and see Mt. Fujiyama, and The young girl's dream all deal with eroticism, while Christ in New York, The fallen angel, The voyage of the spirit after death, Paradise regained deal with religious aspects. I find Christ in New York quite a interesting piece. In it Michals shows Christ in modern New York. On the other end I find The pleasures of the glove an interesting series dealing with sexual fantasies. Things are Queer is probably the series that I find most interesting in the book. In nine photos Michals seems to be contemplating the borders between reality, and fiction.
The oldest photos are from a trip which Michals took in Russia in 1958. These are the least interesting ones in the book. They are rather typical amateur photos. Subjects usually dead center and very static. In a way some of the series are built up like this, with the subjects dead center, but in the series one has the movement between photos to make them interesting. Looking at the stand alone photos I though the portraits of Marcel Duchamp and Pasolini the best shots in the book.
All in all, an interesting, though slightly short, over view of Duane Michals career during these years. By the way, that is Andy Warhol on the cover.
September 13, 2017
This collection of photos are captivating, i found myself entranced deeply with this photo book
November 21, 2025
it’s dependence on the written work that almost make them seem lazy.
January 3, 2017
Un buen resumen del trabajo de este gran fotógrafo a un precio muy asequible.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews