Thomas Ruff "Haüser" Portfolio

Collecting Thomas Ruff's work is both easy and complex.
Easy, because it is rather difficult to make a mistake, as almost ALL his series are interesting. I read it as a sign that Thomas Ruff is making history. Interiors, Porträts, Hauser, Sterne, Nacht, LMVDR, Jpegs…Even some Nudes images (the ones with immediate impact, and thus the ones that appear more frequently at auctions) deserve attention.
On the other hand, collecting Ruff’s work is very complex. Unless you are a Russian billionaire with unlimited purchasing power, you have to make difficult choices. At a first glance, some series are very different one from another. How to choose between a 1980’s “Portrat” and a 2000’s Jpeg ? Apart from the obvious “subjective” factor, historical significance enters into play.

After several years of wandering through Thomas Ruff’s work, I happen to be more oriented towards his architecture images. They are a recurring theme, as seen in the Hauser series, the LMVDR, some pictures for Herzog & Meuron (the book published in 1994 is a must have) and part of the Jpeg series. And they make full use of Ruff’s image treatment techniques.
Going back to the roots, hence, the Hauser Portfolio released by Schellman Edition in 1989 is a seminal work. The 5 Dye-Transfer prints depict urban landscapes, focused on a house or a building, with so simple an approach that the images come close to abstraction. During a long discussion on Ruff’s work, an art dealer once advised me to have a close look at this Hauser series, as it was the first one where the artist modified images afterwards, in order to rub out some visual interferences. If true, this work announces much of other “image editing” series, such as the LMVDR, the Nudes and Jpegs.

Robert Heinecken : He/She (Not to be confused with Richard Prince)

Here is a book published in 1980, by an artist obsessed with sexual imagery, keen on playing with stereotypes, and less interested in pictures than in the context through which we receive them. And no, this artist is not Richard Prince, but the late Robert Heinecken.
He/She provides with a very good entry point into Heinecken’s work. The spiral-bound book (designed with a homemade quality) features Polaroid prints, illustrating male/female stereotypes, and hand written short dialogues between “He” and “She”. These two characters talk about somehow explicit matters, such as kisses or lovers’ smell. Heinecken’s work has sometimes been described as misogynist. “He/She”, for instance, dismisses the idea that genre differences could simply ignored, in opposition to some feminist ideas.

I can’t help comparing this book to Richard Prince’s Girlfriends series, in which images focus on “biker chicks”, as they appear in motorcycle magazines. Both artists’ works (in my view) are not demeaning to women, but on the contrary, criticize their reduction to sexual objects. “He/She” is typical of this ambiguousness.

West looks East : The incomplete picture

In the 70’s, many of the great photo works were shot in the United States. William Eggleston, Lewis Baltz, Robert Adams, Stephen Shore, Lee Friedlander travelled around, documenting the transformation of America’s urban landscape.
Recently (perhaps a sign of a long term shift in the balance of power), Asia has become a major playing field for photographers. There is no shortage of interesting series on the subject: Peter Bialobrzeski’s NeonTigers (with images shot as early as 2000, before the craze), Olivo Barbieri’s Notsofareast, Ed Burtynsky’s China, Nadav Kander’s Long River (Pictet Prize winner), Wassink&Lundgren’s Empty Bottles, Michael Wolf’s Architecture of Density.
Some are pure urban landscapes. In Neontigers, Bialobrzeski manages to show the mixture of traditional and contemporary patterns. Some also hint at social evolution. In Empty Bottles, Wassink&Lundgren show the flip side of China’s prosperity; while Burtynsky goes into mass production factories. All in all, they give a pretty good view of the deep changes experienced in Asia.

In all these works, however, West looks East. What about asian view on Asia, Chinese view on China ? I quite liked Sze Tsung Leong’s “History Images”, published by Steidl. But his author was born in Mexico and lives In New-York. That may be why my western eye found beauty in these objective urban landscapes.
Liu Heung Shing ranks among of the most famous Chinese photographers, but his images of “China after Mao” are too journalistic for my taste. I also had a look at Liu Zheng and Liu Xiaodong, without being struck.
Until now, the only work that really caught my attention is Zeng Li’s “China Chronicle”. The author has worked with film maker Zhang Yimou as stage designer, but in interviews, he states his “true love is photography”. Obviously, these feelings are shared : the oversize book, published in 2006, gives a powerful view of the changes impacting China’s architectural landscapes.

Of course, the list is incomplete. Please do not hesitate to leave a comment should you be aware of interesting works on China or Asia by local artists. It is more than probable that a significant part of these names still remains unknown to us.

John Baldessari - Throwing Three balls in the Air to get a Straight Line

At the Tate Modern, in one of the many rooms of Baldessari's "Pure Beauty" retrospective, visitors could have a look at a selection of the artist's most creative books. Along with Ingres and Other Parables, Fable or Brutus killed Caesar, a copy of "Throwing Three Balls..." was on display.

This is a trend: more and more, contemporary art exhibitions include book sections - for instance, Ed Ruscha or Martin Parr at Paris Jeu de Paume (two outstanding book makers and/or book lovers). For some artists, indeed, books are an essential part of the work. More recently, even group exhibitions, such as "Elles" at Centre Pompidou, joined the trend.

I was glad to see Tate curators didn't overlook Baldessari's books. "Throwing Three Balls" is very typical of the artist's very personal method of applying concepts, in a playful way. The 14 plates included in the portfolio, published in 1973, are the "best of thirty-six attempts". Yet, all of them are imperfect. We are not in Carl Andre's or Sol Lewitt's linear world. Here, orange balls absurdly fly high in the sky, with no other purpose than the "pure beauty" of the gesture.

When I began collecting artists's books, some time ago now, "Throwing Three Balls" was virtually unfindable, with a cult status. Fortunately, an Italian bookseller uncovered several dozens copies, that quickly sold on eBay or Abebooks. Now, the book is getting scarce again. The window wasn't open for a long time.

A few thoughts on Paris Photo 2009 (with some delay)

This Paris Photo Fair was the 10th edition I could attend. It is always a pleasure (when possible, I even take a day off to get a broad and quiet view). Here are a few thoughts or comments on this specific edition :

The scope. In 2010, what is a Photo Fair without images by Wolfgang Tillmans, Philip Lorca Dicorcia or Thomas Ruff (except for the illustrated book shown at Toluca Booth) ? The absence of some of these cutting edge photographers poses a challenge. To a lower extent, one could also regret the fact that conceptual artists using photography among other media (Olafur Eliasson, Roni Horn, Rodney Graham, etc) are not featured here. Of course, the reason lies on the art market structure. These artists are represented by contemporary art galleries. And their images can sometimes be seen at Frieze, Fiac or Basel.

The bargain. A Japanese gallery stand sold Taiji Matsue unique prints, details of black&white landscapes, for 50 euros. For those who own one of the two corresponding Matsue books (including the Hysteric one), it made a wonderful addition.

The worst stand. Pieter Hugo’s Nollywood exhibition at Michael Stevenson gallery. Extra Large printing size and delicate framing seemed totally inadequate to these harsh images. Commercial recipes of the German Photography School can’t be applied to all photographic works.

The repetition. Each year, visitors can have a look at new Massimo Vitali beach landscapes. These Diasec prints are always gorgeous. But it is getting difficult to understand Vitali’s artistic project. As long as clients subscribe each year…

The positive surprise. Before arriving at Toni Tapies Gallery stand, I had never seen large Burtynsky prints. The Australia mines images exhibited there were simply beautiful. Days later, I saw Quarries prints at the Pictet Prize exhibit in Passage de Retz, in Paris. Some may find Burtynsky’s work too “easy” and trendy, but the fact that he built a coherent ensemble since the 80’s, when environmental issues were not a priority, makes it truly significant.

The books. One of my favourite features of Paris photo is the presence of many specialized booksellers. Except for Ken Ohara’s One first edition (a book I had been searching for a long time), no major purchases this year. As a bronze donator for Rob Hornstra’s Sotchi Project, I also took my copy of Sanatorium, his last publication.

10 Books of the decade

Let's start this blog with a dangerous endeavor. An impossible one. Which books, published between 2000 and 2010, will eventually pass the test of time ? Not the best ones (on which criteria ?), but the most influential ones. Here is a list, of course subjective :

Paul Graham, Shimmer of Possibility
The 12 books set, published by SteidlMACK, will probably appear as a seminal work. Paul Graham here introduces a new form of photography, a narrative one, inspired by Chekhov short stories.

Luc Delahaye, History

Published by Chris Boot, this edition was limited to 100 copies. Good thing for collectors, but the work itself deserves a wider audience. Those who have seen the exhibition at Paris Maison Rouge were struck by Delahaye's ambiguous aesthetics. Is this documentary, is this art, can we do both without betraying the reality ?

David Goldblatt, Particulars
Goldblatt is widely known for his South African landscapes images. Particulars is a more muted work, truly universal. What is more, the book is exquisitely printed.

Wim Delvoye Sexrays

Artist's books had a difficult decade, especially when compared to the 70's. Initially designed to be a gallery catalogue, Sexrays stands out as a wonderful book object, bold and luxurious.

Bettina Rheims, Book of olga

Book lovers will probably underestimate this Taschen book. But Rheims' Olga, focusing only on a Russian billionaire's wife, with total freedom, will in the end be considered as the perfect symbol of a pre-crisis, bygone era.

Terry Richardson Kibosh

Here is a forecast: Kibosh will be a cult book. Richardson himself says that the book is the achievement of a lifetime. There are many other Richardson books (the Hysteric one, and Manimal, inspired by Abu Ghraib), but Kibosh is a "concentré" of his style.

Rinko Kawauchi, Aila

Kawauchi's work is sometimes viewed as too sentimental, simple, lyrical. This is exactly why Aila is a great book. Here the photographer focuses on simple things, all linked to a certain form of life. Looking at some images' association proves that the work is much more complex than previously thought.

Mitch Epstein, Family Business

This books is not a photobook. It is a novel, a deep, moving one. Epstein chronicles the bankruptcy of his father's business. The american flag hung against on a wall tells it all...

Juergen Teller, Marc Jacobs Advertising

This book is an awkward object. Too heavy, with a fragile binding. But it clearly shows how Juergen Teller has managed to create a visual style that will associated to the early 2000 years.

Ryan McGinley, Moonmilk
Hype people often love Ryan McGinley's work. Snob people hate it. In the end, Moonmilk is much more than a hype work. McGinley's fantasy world can be melancholic and, in every sense of the term, deep.