Where I Find Myself: A Lifetime Retrospective

by Joel Meyerowitz (Photographer), Colin Westerbeck

Where I Find Myself is the first major single book retrospective of one of America's leading photographers. It is organized in inverse chronological order and spans the photographer's whole career to date: from Joel Meyerowitz's most recent picture all the way back to the first photograph he ever took. The book covers all of Joel Meyerowitz's great projects: his work inspired by the artist Morandi, his work on trees, his exclusive coverage of Ground Zero, his trips in the footsteps of Robert Frank across the US, his experiments comparing color and black and white pictures, and of course his iconic street photography work. Joel Meyerovitz is incredibly eloquent and candid about how photography works or doesn't, and this should be an inspiration to anyone interested in photography.

The view from here 2017-2012 --
Elemental 2010-2001 --
Cities 2008-1976 --
Portraits 2017-1980 --
The world upside down 1990-1976 --
Letting go of the catch 1976-1968 --
American in the time of Vietnam 1972-1968 --
On the road 1967-1964 --
The colour question 1968-1963 --
Out into the street 1964-1962 --
Coda.

Genres: Photography, Art, Nonfiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published March 13, 2018

About the author

Joel Meyerowitz is an award-winning photographer whose work has appeared in over 350 exhibitions in museums and galleries around the world. He was born in New York in 1938 and began photographing in 1962. Meyerowitz is a “street photographer” in the tradition of Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Frank, although he works exclusively in color. As an early advocate of color photography (early-60’s) he was instrumental in changing the attitude toward color photography from one of resistance to nearly universal acceptance. His first book “Cape Light” is considered a classic work of color photography and has sold over 100,000 copies during its 26-year life. He has published nineteen other books including “Bystander: The History of Street Photography” and “Provence: Lasting Impressions.”


In 1998 Meyerowitz produced and directed his first film, ”POP”, an intimate diary of a three-week road trip he made with his son Sasha and his father, Hy. This odyssey has as its central character an unpredictable, street wise and witty 87-year-old with Alzheimer’s. It is both an open-eyed look at aging and a meditation on the significance of memory.

Within a few days of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, Meyerowitz began to create an archive of the destruction and recovery at Ground Zero. He was the only photographer who was granted unimpeded access to the site. Meyerowitz took a meditative stance toward the work and workers there, systematically documenting the painful work of rescue, recovery, demolition and excavation. The World Trade Center Archive includes more than 8,000 images and will be available for research, exhibition, and publication at museums in New York and Washington, DC.

In 2001 The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. State Department asked the Museum of the City of New York and Meyerowitz to create a special exhibition of images from the archive to send around the world. The images traveled to more than 200 cities in 60 countries and over three and a half million people viewed the exhibition.

In addition to the traveling shows, Meyerowitz was invited to represent the United States at the 8th Venice Biennale for Architecture with his photographs from the World Trade Center Archives. In September 2002, he exhibited 73 images – some as large as 22 feet – in lower Manhattan. Some recent books are: “Taking My Time”, his fifty year, two volume, retrospective book by Phaidon Press of London, “Provence: lasting Impressions,” co-authored with his wife Maggie Barrett, a book on the late work of Paul Strand by Aperture, "Glimpse": Photographs From Moving Car, which was a solo show at MoMA, and "Joel Meyerowitz Retrospective", published in conjunction with his recent show at NRW Forum in Dusseldorf.

Meyerowitz is a Guggenheim fellow and a recipient of both the NEA and NEH awards. His work is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, the Boston Museum of Fine Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, and many others.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible words and of course images. Meyerowitz is a poet, literally and photographically. The intense wisdom inside the small text passages accompanying spellbinding images left craters inside my psyche. I've been a photographer for almost 15 years and the days are few and far between when something changes my perception of the medium, today was one of those days.

[Steve Angelkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the epitome of a coffee table photobook.

This is a must for any street photography fans and essential for Joel Meyerowitz fans.

The content will allow for re-reading many times.

[Chris Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meyerowitz has always been an accessible photographer. Media friendly, seemingly eager to be a part of any show or project, and prolific. Sometimes this kind of minor celebrity can make you see his work through that lens, and it would be a shame. There is no doubt he is a great street photographer, and his work on 9/11 will long be remembered. This book dilutes this accomplishment, though, as he brings out several small side projects and experimentations along with his though process on each. Sometimes less is more, sometimes mystery is more intriguing than answers, sometimes the elusive provides more room for enjoyment than transparency. I certainly understand the desire to talk, to explain it all down to the smallest detail. I also understand that when you have a following and a good reputation as an artist, it is easy to convince yourself that all your work is worthwhile. Those of us who are not in Meyerowitz's category are reminded all the time to shut up and deal with fact that most of what you do will not be appreciated, sometimes for good reason. The famous, though, often cannot continue with their best work because no one around them will say the harsh truth, especially since money can still be made on your name alone.

[Stephen Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really beautiful (and huge) book of street photography (with a few other portraits and landscapes,etc mixed in.) I love how instead of the usual pair of essays by critics/curators (which seem to be obligatory in most photography books) we actually have small paragraphs of commentary by the photographer on individual images or on chapters.

Anyway, really great collection of work from the ‘60s to a few years ago, in B&W and color. There’s also a great story about how watching Robert Frank shoot (photos for an ad) inspired him to pursue street photography.

[Vincent Breen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent retrospective of Meyerowitz work. It's a big beautiful book that cries out to be looked at and read. An early advocate of colour, Joel's images are a feast. This is an artist who lives for his art and it shows in this book. Someone has made the point already that commentary and text is not overpowering unlike some retrospectives. The balance here is just right. Highly recommended.

[Vincent Eaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw his expo based on this book last year and said, "Have to have this guy."
Fascinating eyeballing wonders first to last page.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd give it 20 stars if I could. I love this retrospective.

[Nickolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Versatile old school street and travel art photography of the 1960s+. If you like Robert Frank, Garry Winogrand, Robert Adams....

[Sagar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning. Joel Meyerowitz is a philosopher with a Leica.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A talented photographer.