Vitamin Ph: New Perspectives in Photography

by T.J. Demos, John Reed (Contributor)

Photography continues to be a central part of international artistic practice. Over the past ten years it has experienced radical changes, in part due to the rise of digital technologies. Photography is now often engaged in by artists who are not just printing in a darkroom, but using the medium as a single aspect of a larger ouvre, as one of several media under exploration. Vitamin Ph focuses on diverse global developments in 'art' photography through the work of 121 contemporary artists, who were nominated by 78 international critics, curators and artists. These selections will be accompanied by a 5000 word introductory text by TJ Demos, aiming to explore ideas relevant to contemporary photography with reference to the works included in the book. In addition, the work of each photographer/artist will be introduced by a short commissioned text of approximately 500 words. Similar in concept, scope and structure to Vitamin P and Vitamin D , Vitamin Ph presents, in A to Z order, artists who have emerged, or in some instances re-emerged, in the last five years using the medium of photography.

Genres: Art, Photography, Art and Photography, Self Help, Nonfiction, Art Design

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 21, 2006

About the author

T. J. Demos is an award-winning writer on contemporary art, global politics, and ecology. He is Professor in the Department of the History of Art and Visual Culture, at University of California, Santa Cruz, and Founder and Director of its Center for Creative Ecologies. He writes widely on the intersection of contemporary art, global politics, and ecology, and his essays have appeared in magazines, journals, and catalogues worldwide. His published work centers broadly on the conjunction of art and politics, examining the ability of artistic practice to invent innovative and experimental strategies that challenge dominant social, political, and economic conventions.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think someone does not understand how the periodic table works.
(Hint: not alphabetically.)

This collection left me lukewarm. It did introduced me to a few interesting artists, so at free from the library it was fine, but you probably don't want to rush out and buy it. I hear the other volumes in the set are better, though.

In lieu of a review, some pictures. Not all from this book, btw; I just went with the artists names rather than making the added effort to find the exact pieces. Many of the ones I came up with I think are actually more interesting than the ones included in the collection.


JH Engstrom


Lalla Essaydi


Anne Gaskell


Sarah Hobbs


Yeondoo Jung's series "Wonderland" creates the scenes from childrens' drawings.


Practically everything by Ryan McGlinley is nudes. NSFW.


Sanguinetti's series "Adventures of Guille & Belinda" is all these two cousins enacting various stage pieces, paintings, and other stories.


Paul Sietsema has, per internet, been transitioning away from photo and film toward mostly painting.

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly I've had a hard time finding good survey books of contemporary, fine-art photographers. These 122 photographers were nominated by a group of some 60 or so curators, critics and fellow artists. Each was given two to four pages of images with a half-page, smallish-print introduction by one of the 40 or so curators or critics represented. This is a big, 2006 coffee-table book which I found used in NYC and lugged home on the plane. Well worth it. The writing is excellent -- itself a good introduction to the world of contemporary photography. I highly recommend this work.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great selection of contemporary photographers from all over the world. There are a few photographs by each artist accompanied by a brief column of text. My goal was to read the text for all 121 photographers, but I ended up just flipping through the photographs over and over again. After about 12 weeks of hoarding it in my bedroom I had to give it back to the library....I think I googled at least half of them, though. I'm surprised that most of them don't have websites. What is the deal with that?

[Jamil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yto Barrada Luchezar Boyadjiev Rochelle Costi Anna Gaskell Jonathan Hernandez Yeondoo Jung Rinko Kawauchi Malerie Marder Gareth McConnell Ryan McGinley Zwelethu Mthethwa Kelly Nipper Sophy Rickett Yinka Shonibare Guy Tillim Liu Zheng

nice survey of new contemporary photograpers.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall an excellent survey of contemporary photography, representing major themes among artists today. Essays are of varying quality, I felt. With this more than the drawing book in the same Phaidon series, I questioned why certain artists were included / excluded.

[Sissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has a bio of each featured artist, they all use photography in some way. it seems very fresh, and i am still reading it. slow going due to busy schedule.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stinkers tortured me over one hundred and twenty-five dollars. But they never got my contract. Hahaha. Does anyone want to buy my essay?

[Krissy]

Basic encyclopedia of sorts.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's time for Vitamin PH 2!