Steidl Collectors Series. Gerard Malanga made his reputation as a co-founder of Andy Warhol's factory. His career as a photographer began there between 1964 and 1966, when he and Warhol made screen tests of 300 people. Later on, he became famous for his portraits of Iggy Pop, Robert Mapplethorpe, Tennessee Williams, Alice Cooper, Mick Jagger, Lou Reed and William S. Burroughs. These photographs take the viewer back to pop culture (as it once was) and the Beat Generation. Still later, throughout the 80s and well into the 90s, Malanga gave the viewer a taste of the magical relation of femininity to charm, as embodied in his nudes.
Any book that has a portrait of my Dad in it is ok with me. But lets say it didn't have that portrait, this is still a remarkable (and inexpensive) volume of Gerard Malanga's remarkable photo portraits. Gerard, a poet as well as Andy Warhol's right-hand man during the golden Factory years has a great eye and this book mixes with the pop star (including the famous Iggy nude portrait) and various poets/writers as well as artists. A must-own really!
As I read it, in the beginning I wondered whether this book was only good, because the subject matters are famous or whether he is a good photographer. Then towards the end of the book, I came to the conclusion that he is a very good photographer, and that the subjects trusted him enough to capture a good portrait, and that in turn makes him a good photographer.