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A Beautiful Catastrophe
New York City, the unique metropolis that Le Corbusier has called “a beautiful catastrophe,” is a natural home to Bruce Gilden. Since 1981, Gilden has been roaming the streets of the city, capturing its characters and eccentricities with his confrontational, highly energetic style and exuberant vision. In his new opus, A Beautiful Catastrophe , Magnum photographer Bruce Gilden celebrates a trademark style with abandon, firmly ensconcing him in the pantheon of New York City street poets.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 12, 2026
I regret to admit that I did enjoy some of these.
Bruce Gilden is, rightfully, a controversial photographer. I think his work will be much more palatable once he and every person he ever photographed is dead. Then, the violent proximity to his subjects that he has achieved here might seem more a noble labor of art and archiving rather than how it really is - shots from a prick with very little empathy for his fellow New Yorker, his fellow man, if any at all.
The redeeming quality in his work to me is that, despite not a single one of his photos inspiring a sense of mystery or intrigue in me, there is not another photographer, or person I can think of for that matter, with a conscience that would have been able to do what he did here. The best of his photographs still strike me as worthy of awe even when I know exactly how he did it and knowing that there are probably hundreds or thousands of absolute duds to each passable shot.
I don’t like him. He has produced some worthwhile work.
Bruce Gilden is, rightfully, a controversial photographer. I think his work will be much more palatable once he and every person he ever photographed is dead. Then, the violent proximity to his subjects that he has achieved here might seem more a noble labor of art and archiving rather than how it really is - shots from a prick with very little empathy for his fellow New Yorker, his fellow man, if any at all.
The redeeming quality in his work to me is that, despite not a single one of his photos inspiring a sense of mystery or intrigue in me, there is not another photographer, or person I can think of for that matter, with a conscience that would have been able to do what he did here. The best of his photographs still strike me as worthy of awe even when I know exactly how he did it and knowing that there are probably hundreds or thousands of absolute duds to each passable shot.
I don’t like him. He has produced some worthwhile work.
Displaying 1 of 1 review