Fantastic Photographs

Fülszöveg

FANTASTIC PHOTOGRAPHS
Text by Attilio Colombo Adapted by Carole Naggar Photographs selected by Lorenzo Merlo and Claude Nori
The first book of its kind in the field of photography, this startling collection of work by an international group of young photographers probes the subliminal recesses of the mind to create a new visual reality.
The images presented in Fantastic Photographs are dreamlike, humorous, and serious photographs that make absurd or impossible situations plausible through creative juxtaposition of the elements in the photograph. The subjects involve sexual fantasy, human hopes and fears, and imagined situations which might resemble daydreams. Simply stated, fantastic photographs are the visual realization of our mental pictures.
The book's brief introductory text discusses the movement of photography from a medium of pure documentation to an art that seeks to redefine our conception of reality. This new reality encompasses both the physical world and the... Tovább

Fülszöveg

FANTASTIC PHOTOGRAPHS
Text by Attilio Colombo Adapted by Carole Naggar Photographs selected by Lorenzo Merlo and Claude Nori
The first book of its kind in the field of photography, this startling collection of work by an international group of young photographers probes the subliminal recesses of the mind to create a new visual reality.
The images presented in Fantastic Photographs are dreamlike, humorous, and serious photographs that make absurd or impossible situations plausible through creative juxtaposition of the elements in the photograph. The subjects involve sexual fantasy, human hopes and fears, and imagined situations which might resemble daydreams. Simply stated, fantastic photographs are the visual realization of our mental pictures.
The book's brief introductory text discusses the movement of photography from a medium of pure documentation to an art that seeks to redefine our conception of reality. This new reality encompasses both the physical world and the collective unconscious, while rejecting the rationalism of the past. The author traces the foundations of fantastic photography to the artistic movements of Surrealism, Dadaism, Futurism, and German Expressionism, and outlines the influence of Freud, Breton, Jung, and others on the fantastic school. He also examines the contributions of Pop Art, psychedelic art, the sixties revolution, commercial advertising, and even record-album covers; he seeks to define for the reader the role and goals of the fantastic photograph. A brief explanation of the photographic techniques used is included.
Attilio Colombo specializes in photographic history and criticism. He is the author of Japanese Photography from 1848-Present, a catalogue for an exhibit at the Gallery of Modern Art, Bologna, Italy. He is also an editor for the Italian magazine Progresso Fotographico and contributes articles on photography to various Italian newspapers.
Carole Naggar contributes on art and photography to numerous French magazines and is currently at work on a dictionary of photography and a book on photomontage.
Pantheon Books, New York
Cover photo by Serge Lutens Cover design by Louise Fill Vissza