PHOTOGRAPHY AFTER FRANK
ESSAYS BY PHILIP GEFTER
In Photography After Frank (Aperture, June 2009) New York Times writer and former picture editor Philip Gefter presents the tale of contemporary photography, starting with a pivotal moment: Robert Frank’s seminal work in the 1950s. Along the way, he connects the dots of photography’s transformation into what it is today.
Philip Gefter begins with Frank’s challenge to photography’s formal objectivity with the grainy, off-handed spontaneity of The Americans. Next comes the challenge to the factual fidelity of “documentary” photography with the evolution of the “staged document.” Other topics and themes include photojournalism, portraiture, the influence of collectors, and the market’s effect on art-making, such as the spawning of super-sized prints. Throughout the book, Gefter deftly connects Frank’s legacy with the work of dozens of important artists who have followed in his wake, from Lee Friedlander and Nan Goldin to Stephen Shore and Ryan McGinley.
The book includes texts written exclusively for this publication, as well as essays drawn from Gefter’s critical writings, reviews, and even obituaries for the New York Times and other publications. Photography After Frank offers a page-turning yet journalistic approach bound to appeal to students and art world aficionados, alike.
Philip Gefter was on staff at the New York Times for more than fifteen years where his roles included page one picture editor and senior picture editor for culture. Early in his career, he was a picture editor at Fortune and an assistant editor at Aperture. He writes regularly about photography for the Times and other publications. He is a founding member of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.
Past Related Events Lecture and Book Signing with Philip Gefter Thursday, April 30, 7:00 pm SF Camerawork NYPH09 Aperture Presents: Philip Gefter in Conversation with Andy Grundberg Sunday, May 17, 5:00 pm St. Anne’s Warehouse, Brooklyn, New York
Photography After Frank Essays by Philip Gefter Published by Aparture June 2009 6 x 8 1/2 in. (15.2 x 21.6 cm) 224 pages 30 four-color and 45 black-and-white images Flexibind ISBN 978-1-59711-095-2 $29.95; £16.95
Past Related Events Lecture and Book Signing with Philip Gefter Thursday, April 30, 7:00 pm SF Camerawork NYPH09 Aperture Presents: Philip Gefter in Conversation with Andy Grundberg Sunday, May 17, 5:00 pm St. Anne’s Warehouse, Brooklyn, New York
Photography After Frank Essays by Philip Gefter Published by Aparture June 2009 6 x 8 1/2 in. (15.2 x 21.6 cm) 224 pages 30 four-color and 45 black-and-white images Flexibind ISBN 978-1-59711-095-2 $29.95; £16.95
