In this third collection of Max Kozloff's essays on photography, first published in 1994 and now available again, he shows himself to be one of the most provocative and stimulating critics of a medium that permeates every aspect of life in the late twentieth century. He comments here on everything from portraits by Cecil Beaton and Richard Avedon to war photography and views of the toxic landscape to an ad for English muffins.Kozloff is both respectful of the power of photography and unintimidated by its pervasiveness, tackling the questions raised by new technologies and digitized imagery while his interest in popular culture keeps him firmly grounded in the present. This is criticism at its best, both entertaining and enlightening.
"Reemphasizes that he does the traditional, primary, close-viewing better than almost anyone.... Even his essay titles are alluring -- 'The Family of Nan, ' 'Bad News from Epic Landscapes, ' 'Hapless Figures in an Artificial Storm, ' 'The Dream Mill in the History of Photography.'" -- pARTS Journa
