The Art of Andre S. Solidor a.k.a. Elliott Erwitt

I love Elliott Erwitt, but this is a wildly unfunny, even embarrassing "satire" on what was, when he published the book in 2009, the world of art photography in New York. His targets are big prints, big color, digital manipulation, big nudes - Mapplethorpe, Cindy Sherman, Andres Serrano (see Andre Solidor), Helmut Newton, the Dusseldorphers etc. And what's in this book are oddball knockoffs of those photographers' work... And they are forced and bitter in their humor - as is the silly "interview." Elliott Erwitt is one of my favorite photographers, and one of the funniest, quickest and talented people to ever pick up a camera. He finds ironic juxtapositions everywhere in the real world. And his humor is gentle, even kind. And full of wit. I've often wondered (he chose his own name) whether he took Erwitt as Ur Witt - they are that good. And they can also be dark and and complex in their humor. But these things are constructed, posed and grumpy... just dumb. Someone should have told him... There must have been a tipping point that produced this book - I'd love to know what it was.

Elliott Erwitt is one of my favorite photographers. He is one of those rare geniuses whose work, like Cartier-Bresson, seems to speak to the human condition in a way that both serious art critics and casual observers can appreciate. And he has a great eye for irony and humor.That being said this book is by he so called alter-ego "the beret-wearing and pretentious André S. Solidor (which abbreviates to 'ass')." Wikipedia states he is "a contemporary artist, from one of the French colonies in the Caribbean, I forget which one," whose purpose is to "satirise the kooky excesses of contemporary photography".Having the knowledge that this book is supposed to be a satirical piece does a lot help one appreciate it. I remember seeing this book at the library when I was in college and of course seeing Erwitt's name attached I checked it out only to be horrified that his color work appeared to be such rubbish. But looking at it now and with this new knowledge I can appreciate it is supposed to be rubbish. This is Erwitt creating "bad" photos to make fun of all the bad and cliche photographers out there in contemporary photography. And when you look at the book with that in mind it is actually quite funny and he does a good job of it (he is a quick witted one that Erwitt).That being said there are some photos in here I actually like, like the series of dead fish heads smoking cigarettes and cigars. However, while I find most of the photos in the book to be quite humorous I also find it hard to recommend this book for someone to buy. Erwitt has created a book that is one big joke. Only, knowing that it is one big joke, pointing out the irony of what passes for art and interesting photography these days, does not make it that much more appealing to look at. One gets the sense that if you purchase this book, to some extent, the joke is on you :) 3.5 stars.

As a collector of Elliott Erwitt books, I felt I could not miss this title on my bookshelf. However, I would really only recommend this book to Erwitt fanatics like myself. Most of the pictures make no sense whatsoever, which is of course the whole point, but it makes for a book that you look at once and then place on the shelf to gather dust. Fun to have and to look at once, after that, I'd rather grab any of EE's black and white books.

謎の写真家、アンドレ・S・ソリドールの処女作品集。本書の前書きによれば、ソリドールは1962年フランス領ギアナ生まれ。母はネイティヴで父はフランス人という。14歳の時にハイチの農園に働きに出され、その後に雑誌「ライフ」の写真家に啓発され、以下略。という「設定」のようだ。なぜ彼はこういうまわりくどい設定を必要としたのか。既に声望を得たエリオット・アーウィットの名義とは別の、もう一つの人格で創作に励みたかったのか。それとも単なる悪ふざけか。そのあたりは観る側の判断ということなのだが、本書にはアーウィ・・・ではなくソリドールが志向する「コンテンポラリーフォト」が収められている。やはり前書きのインタビューで、ソリドールはアーウィットの質問に「シンディ・シャーマンやロバート・メイプルソープ、ヘルムート・ニュートンたちから大きな影響を受けた」云々の答えを返している。それが恐らく本音と思えるのは、本書の内容がそうした作家作品の「意図的に崩した剽窃」になっているからだ。その崩れっぷりには、しかしアーウィットの真摯な姿勢と、写真に対する深い愛情が滲み出ているように感じる。このことを象徴するのが、バックカバーのニュートン風ゴージャス写真。ブロンドの美女のマネキンが首から提げているデジタル一眼レフには、「技術の発達によって写真が真実から乖離する」という皮肉が込められている。つまり本書を読み解く鍵は「フェイク」である、と思う。ソリドールが撮る写真は、本物は偽物っぽく、偽物はより紛い物っぽく、観る者の目を眩ますかのように並んでいる。だが思いつく限りのニセモノ写真を並べた悪ふざけの後に、本書の最後に収められた数点の写真を眺めた時、この作品集に込めたアーウィットの真のメッセージが明らかになるはずだ。アーウィットのファンなら、それを確認する価値はある。というか、せざるを得ないだろう。ちなみに本書の出版時に、アーウィットは齢80を越えている。老いてなお盛んな名写真家には敬意を表するしかないし、本作も意欲的な悪ふざけとは思うのだが、荒木経惟という天才キャラクターを擁する日本の写真愛好家としては、ちょっと言いたいこともある。「なにもそこまで回りくどくしなくても、いいんじゃないか」と。