André Kertész

by Michel Frizot, Annie-Laure Wanaverbecq

André Kertész (1894–1985) is one of the most original and celebrated of photographers of the 20th century. He was a founder of the modernist photography that originated in the European avant-garde movements of the 1920s, and although his lifelong unwillingness to compromise his independence and his creation of "photographic poetry" made him an almost marginal figure for most of his life, his influence on the development of photography, particularly photojournalism, during the middle years of the century was profound.

This comprehensive book accompanies a major retrospective exhibition of Kertész’s work at Paris’s Jeu de Paume Museum (also visiting several other European venues including Winterthur, Berlin, and Budapest). The text is organized around the three main periods of Kertész’s seventy-year-long Budapest, 1914–25; Paris, 1925–36; and New York, 1936–85. Each section of the text includes an illustrated historical analysis, a portfolio of works, and notes on particular elements of Kertész’s style and practice. Many rare vintage and period prints produced under the photographer’s control are reproduced to highest standards in this beautiful book, reflecting the visual quality of this exceptional body of compelling and poetic images.

Genres: Photography, Art, Nonfiction, Art and Photography

360 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

Michel Frizot is emeritus director of research at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Paris.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, about three quarters into this book all i wanted to do was finish it - then it suddenly redeemed itself! Published as a companion to a current traveling exhibit (going from France to Hungary), the majority of this book seemed so dry and mostly I felt like I was reading a textbook - not to mention the selection of Kertesz's photographs here left much to be desired. However, the final essay discussing Kertesz's life after his move to New York City in the 1930s up until his death really made this book more worthwhile. It definitely is not lacking for being informative and detail-oriented with regard to Kertesz's life, but the presentation here leaves way more to be desired.

A few quotes I did enjoy that I think perfectly sum up Kertesz's vision and personal philosophy as a photographer.
- Upon his retirement from his longtime employment for Conde Nast: "More and more, photography seemed to him to be a way of demonstrating his own 'personal experience of the world.' Released from the exigencies of the press, and perfectly indifferent to anything that smacked of anecdote or allusion, this experience of his could only be defined by the interiorizing and outer recognition of a given emotional harmony."
- Upon his MoMA retrospective exhibition in the early 1960s, MoMA's Director of Photography John Szarkowski, states that Kertesz's achieved "the sympathy, the poetry, the humor, the bittersweet sense of strangeness of things."
- And finally Kertesz sums up (in his 70s, mind you) his own feeling about his life's work: "I regard myself as an amateur today, and I hope that's what I will stay until the end of my life. Because I'm forever a beginner who discovers the world again and again." I couldn't agree with you more, Mr. Kertesz.

[Aadyaa Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book examines Kertesz's life through his beautiful monochrome photography. So so so happy to have come across this gorgeous book. And so much pyaar for Andre Kertesz and his work. <3

[-tin-tin · Rating 5 out of 5]

André Kertész a poussé très loin les possibilités offertes par le media photographique en termes de forme et de composition. Que ce soit ses distorsions, l'utilisation de la compression des plans pour photographier la ville en superposant les détails, ou encore des photos prises d'un point de vue en hauteur, tout est impressionnant de nouveauté et d'expérimentation.

[Manfred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of a gifted photographer, I bought it for the Paris photos but the earlier and later stuff is great, too. The section of early photos from Hungary have too many postage-stamp size renderings taking up a full page, making the photo detail impossible to appreciate. I thought the text was informative and really gave some insight into Kertesz's artistic vision, as well as his stubborn self-belief. I didn't find the text to be academic or dry. Kertesz was a guy who would visit the same locale over and over for decades until he got the image he wanted, and this volume collects the best.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Photos are a 5, text is an informative but dry 3. 4 stars overall.