HOLIDAY WISHES To me, a book is not only the kind of gift I want to give, but also the kind I like to receive. Books, especially photography books, are an enduring resource for all of history and a constant source of inspiration for creators of every kind. Below is an assortment of personal favorites new this season that would make divine gifts for the visually oriented or simply excellent additions to your own library.
People and Places With No Name by Michel Comte is a work of enormous tragedy and the occasional beauty that can be found within it. With the same eye that composes a stunning fashion shot or a flattering celebrity portrait, photographer Comte gives an unflinching and very unbeautiful look at war. It is a massive work, and a work that commands reverence as the photos tell the stories of a million tragedies. Each maimed child is a parent’s sorrow, and every destroyed building represents dozens, perhaps hundreds of deaths in places so far away that the pictures are as close as we’ll ever get. Comte makes sure those pictures are riveting. Without ever sinking into the treacley or sentimental, Comte frequently uses images of children — the ultimate victims of war all over the world. But sometimes the images are arresting because, after page after page of horror, you will find an image of children, perhaps orphans, playing blissfully among themselves in the bombed-out remains of what may have even been their home. His sense of contrast and cohesiveness is as unfailing as if he were producing a work showcasing the fashionable beauties of the day. It is a stunning compilation about the harrowing consequences of war. A significant portion of the purchase price goes to the Red Cross — perhaps among the worthiest of all charities, for the breadth and scope of the work that they do; thus the book becomes a gift that keeps on giving.
Black and White Men: Images by James Spada is a departure for author/photographer Spada. Mr. Spada’s stock-in-trade is the biography, with an emphasis on photographic biographies of stylish figures of our time, including his recent triumph, Jackie: Her Life in Pictures. But this is the first time that Spada himself has been behind the lens, and the effort and care that went into this collection of photographs is obvious. Spada’s lens caresses his subjects. His work is a paean to male beauty, with the same appreciation seen in classical Greek art. But Spada’s compositions have an intimacy and sexuality that is lacking in most classical art. With titles such as “Sean in my living room,” the photos can easily blur the distinction between art for art’s sake and serious erotica. When we are dealing with showing a subject in a state of arousal, instincts other than the aesthetic ones can come to the forefront. It somehow seems to cross the line when I find myself thinking, “Well, if ol’ Sean were sitting there on my couch looking like that, I’m not sure that grabbing a camera would be the first thing to cross my mind …” On the other hand, I’m a wicked old reprobate and Spada has selected models with a great deal of charm — it’s easy to imagine the possibilities. It is an admirable and attractive entry on his list of accomplishments, and a beautiful gift for the connoisseur of masculine beauty, from an author who is incredibly prolific. Spada has finished his latest book, Reagan, which will be out early next year, and is already at work on a photographic history of Jackie’s children, John and Caroline, which will be out later in 2001.
Face Forward by Kevyn Aucoin: The master is at it again. On the heels of The Art of Makeup and Making Faces, Aucoin gives us a lush and beautiful volume showcasing his cosmetic magic. Previewed in Vogue, Aucoin’s work took celebrities and made them up as other celebrities, with stunning results. The transformations include Susan Sarandon as Bette Davis, Amber Valetta as both Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, Martha Stewart as Veronica Lake, Gena Rowlands as Ava Gardner. Gwyneth Paltrow as James Dean, Gina Gershon as Sophia Loren, Hilary Swank as Raquel Welch, Sedaris as Angie Dickinson, and Alex Peruzzi as Linda Evangelista. And you can talk about how amazing these transformations are, but the most amazing transformation is Aucoin himself, who has gone from being a misunderstood, confused little boy from Lafayette, Louisiana, to a worldwide celebrity in his own right because of the magic his hands have wrought.
This article appears in December 22 • 2000.